Page 58 - Phantom of the Opera

"Are you mad? Tell me, Raoul. What happened?" very foolish! Are you going with her tonight? Surely, you will
"No, I'm not mad. Besides, we will soon see .." Raoul got up not do anything so foolish? I will prevent you!"
.
and looked out the window. "Look! Blood! See? That's a good "Goodbye, Philippe," said the viscount, and left the room.
thing! A ghost who bleeds is less dangerous!" The count did not see Raoul again until that evening, at the
"Raoul! Raoul!" shouted the count, shaking him. Opera, a few minutes before Christine's disappearance.
"You can see the blood. I wasn't dreaming. They weren't stars.
•
.
They were Erik's eyes .. and here is his blood!"
The servant brought a lamp and they examined outside the Raoul spent all of that day preparing for the escape, and it kept
window. The blood went up the side of the house. him busy until nine o'clock at night. At that hour, a traveling
"My dear brother, you have fired at a cat," said Philippe. carriage stopped outside the Opera next to the three carriages
Raoul continued to speak about the ghost and Erik, and both belonging to Carlotta, who was back in Paris, to Sorelli, and to
Philippe and the servant thought he was going mad. Later, when Count Chagny. A shadow in a long black coat and a soft black
the judge received the report from the police, he thought the hat passed by the carriages, examined the traveling carriage
same thing. carefully, went up. to the horse and driver, then moved away
"Who is Erik?" asked the count. without saying a word.
"He is my rival. And if he's not dead, it's a pity." The detective afterward believed that this shadow was Viscount
Raoul" sent the servant away, but he heard Raoul say to the Raoul Chagny. But I do not agree. The viscount always wore a
count, "I will carry off Christine Daae tonight." tall hat, which was found later. I think the shadow was the ghost,
This phrase was afterward repeated to Monsieur Faure, the who probably knew all about the escape, as the reader will soon
detective. But no one knew exactly what was said between the find out.
two brothers on that night. The servants said that this was not The opera house was full and the viscount sat in a box, alone,
the first argument between the brothers. Their voices carried listening to Christine in Faust. The audience, who had read the
through the passages, and their arguments were always about an paragraph in that morning's Epoque, were not warm toward her,
actress called Christine Daae. and she was losing her confidence more and more. Just then,
The next morning the count, who was having his breakfast in Carlotta entered and poor Christine recognized her rival. The
his study, sent for his brother. He handed Raoul a copy of the proud look on Carlotta's face gave Christine her confidence
Epoque and said, "Read that!" back. She forgot everything in order to triumph again.
The newspaper reported a promise of marriage between She sang with all her heart and soul, and she succeeded in
Viscount Raoul Chagny and Mademoiselle Christine Daae. It winning back her audience. A man stood up and remained
said that Count Philippe Chagny intended to prevent the standing, facing the singer. It was Raoul. She sang the words, "My
marriage. The paper asked its readers if brotherly love would spirit is desperate to rest with you!" And at that exact moment,
triumph over romantic love. the stage was suddenly in total darkness. Just as quickly, the lights
"You see, Raoul," said the count, "you are making us look came back on. But Christine Daae was no longer there!

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