The Phantom of the Opera

attend to the affairs of the Opera otherwise than by telling what went on there. M. Moncharmin did not know a note of music, but he called the

nce, for, as soon as he made up his mind to be a sleeping partner in the Opera,

y every form of music and every sort of musician. Clearly, therefore, it was the duty of every sort of musician to like M. Firmin

ke-if joke it were-was not over. M. Firmin Richard reached his office that morning at eleven o'clock. His secretary, M. Remy, showed him half a dozen letters which he had not opened because they were marked "private." One of the letters had at once attracted Richard's attention not onl

MR. M

igning fresh ones and generally displaying your excellent taste. I know what you have done for Carlotta, Sor

quin; nor to La Sorelli, who owes her success mainly to the coach-builders; nor to little Jammes, who dances like a calf in a field. And I am not speaking of Christine Daae either, thoug

Margarita has been forbidden her since her triumph of the other evening; and I will ask you not to dispose of my box to-day nor on the FOLLOWING DAYS, for I can not end this l

d, before leaving, to mention my little fads to you. I have now received a reply from those gentlemen to my letter asking for an explanation, and this reply proves that you know

Manager, without prejudice

mble and Obe

A GH

cutting from the agony-column of

. We told them and left your memorand

when M. Armand Moncharmin entered, carrying one exactly

joke," said M. Richard, "

ine that, because they have been managers of the Opera, we

let myself be laughed at

rmand Moncharmin. "What is it they

It was sent off to them. Debienne lived at the corner of the Rue Scribe and the Boulevard des Capucines; Poligny, in the Rue Auber. O

!" said

tted that two men of that age should am

Moncharmin. "Did you notice how they treat us wit

think that they went to the expense of, an advertisement

they seem to be greatly interest

t she has the reputation of b

rmin. "Haven't I a reputation for knowing all abo

never had that reputat

e last two hours, had been walking up and down outside the d

and the two overworked managers went to bed early, without so much as casting a glanc

gers received a card o

MR. MA

soon for the 240,000 francs, or 233,424 fr. 70 c., to be correct. Mm. Debienne and Poligny have sent me the 6,575 fr. 30 c. re

egards

re was a letter from M

TLE

t is to ex-managers of the Opera, can not make us forget that we have no right to occupy Box Five on the grand tier, which is the exclusive

gentle

g to annoy me!" shouted Firmin

ening Box F

found an inspector's report relating to an incident that had happened,

d them and the whole house was beginning to protest, when the box-keeper came to fetch me. I entered the box and said what I thought necessary. The people did not seem to me to be in their right mind; and they made stupid remarks. I said that, if the noise was repeated, I should be compelled to clear the box. The moment I left, I heard the laugh

o his secretary, who had already read th

d foreseen the order and c

appened," said

to splutter and re

those people laughing

he box, they came out again and called the box-keeper, who asked them what they wanted. They said, 'Look in the box: there's no

or's story, all the marks of one of those practical jokes which begin by amusing and end by enraging the victims. The inspector, to curry favor with M. Moncharmin, who was smiling,

ed," roared Richard, "there was

in the box on the left: not a soul, sir, I swear! The box-keepe

chard. "You agree! It's a joke!

in very bad

id the box-

it was the Opera ghost

made a mistake in grinning, for the words had no sooner l

or her! This minute! This minute! And bring he

angry order to hold his tongue. Then, when the wretched man's lips se

'Opera ghost?

ord. He managed to convey, by a despairing gesture, that he

n him, have you se

ous shake of the head, denied ever

said M. Ric

s head, as though to ask why the manag

lained the manager. "As he seems to be everywhere, I can't have people telling

with his acting-manager, who had entered the room meanwhile. The inspector thought he could go and was gen

here yo

Provence, close to the Opera, where she was enga

s your

nough, sir; I'm the mother of

r old taffeta dress and dingy bonnet. It was quite evident from the manager's attitude, that he either did not know or could not remember having met Mme

ason, Mme. Giry, why I shouldn't ask you what happened last n

so that you mightn't have the same unpleasantness as M. Debienn

t all that. I'm asking w

as though to go, gathering up the folds of her skirt and waving the feathers of her dingy b

happened. The ghos

was taken, when there was nobody in the box. She was unable to explain this phenomenon, which was not new to her, except by the intervention of the ghost. Nobody could see the ghost in his box, but everybody could hear hi

errupting her. "Did the ghost

s. The thing had happened in M. Debienne and M. Poligny's time, also in Box Five and also during a performance of FAUST. M

Giry here burst into song herself-"'Catarina, while you play at sleeping,' and then M. Maniera heard a voice in his right ear (his wife was on his left) saying, 'Ha, ha! Julie's not playing at sleeping!' His wife happened to be called

no, g

rding a kiss to Isidore!' Then he turns round again, but, this time, to the left; and what do you think he sees? Isidore, who had taken his lady's hand and was covering it with kisses through the little round place in the glove-like this, gentlemen"-rapturously kissing the bit of palm left bare in the middle of her thread gloves. "Then they had

d M. Moncharmin, a little vexed that his figu

t for him on the grand staircase, which he ran down too fast, sir, and i

iera's right ear?" asked M. Moncharmin, with a

as M. Maniera

oken to the ghos

you now, my good sir

st speaks to you,

me to bring hi

tary. Only the inspector, warned by experience, was careful not to laugh, wh

nantly, "you'd do better to do as M. P

Moncharmin, who had never be

t, of course! .

f, feeling that this was a

y!'-you know-and Eleazer stops them and says, 'Whither go ye?' ... well, M. Poligny-I was watching him from the back of the next box, which was empty-M. Poligny got u

the Opera ghost came to ask you for

box from him. The manager gave orders that he was to have it at eac

for a footstool! Then this

ghost i

o you

knew there was no one in the box, you can think how puzzled I was! I opened the door, listened, looked; nobody! And then I heard a voice say, 'Mme. Jules' my poor husband's name was Jules-'a footstool, please.' Saving your presence, gentlemen, it ma

e box on the right of Bo

one on the left, were both empty.

at did

t wasn't for himself he wanted it, but for h

t their attention. He tapped his forehead with a distressful forefinger, to convey his opinion that the widow Jules Giry was most certainly mad, a piece of pantomime which confir

five, sometimes even ten, when he has been many days without coming. Only

ed the feathers in her dingy hat at this persistent familiarity,

I always give him. Some evenings, I find flowers in the box, a rose that must have dropped from hi

fan, did he? And wha

it back to the

pector's voi

les; I shall have to

you fool!" muttered

back the fa

nd of the performance; and in its place they left me a box of English sw

o, Mme. Giry

that old madwoman's services; and, when he had gone in his turn, they instructed the acting-manager to make up the inspector's accounts. Left alone,