The Phantom of the Opera

r Christine Daae, she disappeared after the performance. A fortnigh

her at Mme. Valerius' flat and received no reply. His grief increased and he ended by bei

orried. Their own friends did not recognize them: they had lost all their gaiety and spirits. They were seen crossing the stage with

h the chandelier was hung from the ceiling; but it was the duty of both the old and the new managers to have discovered this wear and tear and to have remedied it in time. And I feel bound to say that MM. Richard and Moncharmin a

f the Vicomte de Chagny, when he came to ask about Christine, was anything but cordial. They merely told him that she was taking a holiday. He asked how

he cried. "What is

on't

the doctor of the

r him; and, as we trust

ct some machination which, devilish though it might be, was none the less human. The girl's highly strung imagination, her affectionate and credulous mind, the primitive education which had surrounded her childhood with a circle of legends, the constant brooding over her dead father and, above all, the state of sublime ecstasy into which music threw her from the moment that th

by the maid whom he had seen coming out of Christine's dressing-room one evening. He asked if he

card, plea

scantily furnished drawing-room, in which portraits of

id the servant. "She can only see him in her bedroo

Christine's benefactress in the semi-darkness of an alcove. Mamma Valerius' hair was now quite white, but he

oth her hands to her visitor. "Ah, it's Heaven

very gloomily in the young

. where is

d lady rep

th her goo

nius?" exclai

e Angel

l of Music? And there lay Mamma Valerius in bed, smiling to him and pu

not tell

ly on me,"

becoming more and more entangled; and it seemed as if everything was beginning to turn around him

o do when you were a little boy? Give me your hands, as when you brought me the story of little Lott

en to him so strangely, on the death's head which he had seen in a sort of nightmare on the high altar at Perros and also on the Opera ghost, whose fame had come to his ears one evening when he was st

at makes you think that Chri

speak of yo

And what did

at you had made

eheartedly. Raoul sprang from his chair,

you go like that? ... If you're angry with me for laughing, I beg your pardon... After all, what

married?" the wretched Rao

well as I do that Christine could

ng about it! ... And why

Angel of Music

't fol

forbids h

The Angel of Music

got married, she would never hear him again. That's all! ... And that he would go away f

aoul submissively, "

you all that, when she met you at Perro

erros with her goo

Perros churchyard, at Daae's grave. He promised to play

a very authoritative air, pro

he goodness to tell me w

ised at this indiscreet command

Heav

presence of this candid and perfect faith in a genius who came d

up between a superstitious fiddler and a visionary old lady a

od girl?" he asked sudde

woman, who, this time, seemed to be incensed. "And, if

re at hi

she known th

it's quite three months since

up his arms with a

her lessons! ...

tine's dressing-room. It would be impossible in this little flat. The whole house would hear t

I see!" cried

lerius, who asked herself if the young

e Angel of Music! He knew him now! He saw him! It was beyond a doubt some unspeakable tenor, a good-looking jackanapes, who mouthed and simpered as he sang! He thought himself as absurd an

efused any invitation that evening, if the count had not, as an inducement, told him that the lady of his thoughts had been seen, the night before, in company of the other sex in the Bois. At first, the viscount refused to believe; but he received such exact details that he ceased protesting. She had been seen, it appeared, driving in a

say, into "the vortex of pleasure." Alas, he was a very sorry guest and, leaving his brother

corner of a near turning and, hiding himself as well as he could, stood stamping his feet to keep warm. He had been indulging in this he

ning her head from the window. And, suddenly,

isti

night, had acted as though it were the preconcerted signal for a furious rush on the part of the whole turn-out, which dashed past him before he could put into execution his plan of leaping at

ut again: "

stopped in the mi

into the pale, dead night. Nothing was colder than his heart, noth

ung a face, a forehead so shy and always ready to cover itself with the pink blush of modesty in order to pass in the lonely n

s cry ... And he was thinking of dy

t feared, at the sight of his face, that some disaster had occurred. Raoul snatched his le

E

imney-place of the big crush-room. Stand near the door that leads to the Rotunda. Don't mention this appointment to any