zellephantom

{The precious days sped in this way; and Raoul and Christine, by affecting excessive interest in outside matters, strove awkwardly to hide from each other the one thought of their hearts. One fact was certain, that Christine, who until then had shown herself the stronger of the two, became suddenly inexpressibly nervous.}

Yep, I know that feeling of awkward. (Not so much the suddenly having a nervous disposition, since I've always been that way, but it must be disconcerting for Raoul.)

Oooh, she's 'the stronger of the two'- just wanted to point that out...

{When on their expeditions, she would start running without reason or else suddenly stop; and her hand, turning ice-cold in a moment, would hold the young man back. Sometimes her eyes seemed to pursue imaginary shadows. She cried, "This way," and "This way," and "This way," laughing a breathless laugh that often ended in tears. Then Raoul tried to speak, to question her, in spite of his promises. But, even before he had worded his question, she answered feverishly:

"Nothing ... I swear it is nothing."}

Poor Christine. This reminds me of the moment in the musical before All I Ask of You when Raoul is calling her name, but then you also hear the Phantom calling her name but don't know if it's Christine's imagination or he really is calling her, since Raoul doesn't seem to hear it.

{"You have shown me over the upper part of your empire, Christine, but there are strange stories told of the lower part. Shall we go down?"

She caught him in her arms, as though she feared to see him disappear down the black hole, and, in a trembling voice, whispered:

"Never! ... I will not have you go there! ... Besides, it's not mine ... EVERYTHING THAT IS UNDERGROUND BELONGS TO HIM!"

Raoul looked her in the eyes and said roughly: "So he lives down there, does he?"

"I never said so ... Who told you a thing like that? Come away! I sometimes wonder if you are quite sane, Raoul ... You always take things in such an impossible way ... Come along! Come!"}

Raoul, sometimes I wonder if you're really thinking things through. You know the Phantom is down there, and that he hates you, but YOU STILL WANT TO GO DOWN THERE.

(Also, Christine dear, you're not really one to talk about being sane. I have my doubts as to whether anyone in this Opera House is sane. Good job follow ALW!Madame Giry's principle though! "Those who speak of what they know/May learn too late that prudent silence is wise")

{And she literally dragged him away, for he was obstinate and wanted to remain by the trap-door; that hole attracted him.}

Raoul, honey, you really need to learn to have a sense of self-preservation.

{"No, no, it was the 'trap-door-shutters.' They must do something, you know ... They open and shut the trap-doors without any particular reason ... It's like the 'door-shutters:' they must spend their time somehow."}

Is that a legit job??

{"But suppose it were HE, Christine?"

"No, no! He has shut himself up, he is working."

"Oh, really! He's working, is he?"

"Yes, he can't open and shut the trap-doors and work at the same time." She shivered.

"What is he working at?"

"Oh, something terrible! ... But it's all the better for us... When he's working at that, he sees nothing; he does not eat, drink, or breathe for days and nights at a time ... he becomes a living dead man and has no time to amuse himself with the trap-doors." She shivered again. She was still holding him in her arms.]

She has to be exaggerating. NO ONE CAN STOP BREATHING FOR DAYS AT A TIME, NOT EVEN A 'LIVING CORPSE'. (Interesting that *she's* holding him, though! 'Stronger of the two', indeed...)

{"Are you afraid of him?"

"No, no, of course not," she said.}

You're kind of sending mixed messages here; 'keep away from trap doors or else! the underground is HIS domain' than 'yeah, no way am I scared of him!'

{At last, one afternoon, she arrived very late, with her face so desperately pale and her eyes so desperately red, that Raoul resolved to go to all lengths, including that which he foreshadowed when he blurted out that he would not go on the North Pole expedition unless she first told him the secret of the man's voice.

"Hush! Hush, in Heaven's name! Suppose HE heard you, you unfortunate Raoul!"}

To the tune of Poor Unfortunate Souls from the Little Mermaid: Poor unfortunate Raoul! In love! Naive!

(It's a... work in progress.)

{"I will remove you from his power, Christine, I swear it. And you shall not think of him any more."

"Is it possible?" She allowed herself this doubt, which was an encouragernent, while dragging the young man up to the topmost floor of the theater, far, very far from the trap-doors.

"I shall hide you in some unknown corner of the world, where HE can not come to look for you. You will be safe; and then I shall go away ... as you have sworn never to marry."}

GOOD FOR YOU! WHO SAYS CHIVALRY IS DEAD! BRAVO MONSIEUR! WAY TO USE YOUR PRIVILEGE TO HELP OTHERS!

{And she dragged him up toward the summit. He had a difficulty in following her. They were soon under the very roof, in the maze of timber-work. They slipped through the buttresses, the rafters, the joists; they ran from beam to beam as they might have run from tree to tree in a forest.

And, despite the care which she took to look behind her at every moment, she failed to see a shadow which followed her like her own shadow, which stopped when she stopped, which started again when she did and which made no more noise than a well-conducted shadow should. As for Raoul, he saw nothing either; for, when he had Christine in front of him, nothing interested him that happened behind.}

Is Christine physically stronger than Raoul? She is *dragging* him, so...

*whispers* He's here, the Phantom of the Opera!

Current Mood: bored

{Christine returned on the following day. She returned in triumph. She renewed her extraordinary success of the gala performance. Since the adventure of the "toad," Carlotta had not been able to appear on the stage. The terror of a fresh "co-ack" filled her heart and deprived her of all her power of singing; and the theater that had witnessed her incomprehensible disgrace had become odious to her. She contrived to cancel her contract. Daae was offered the vacant place for the time. She received thunders of applause in the Juive.}

Poor Carlotta- her self-confidence is utterly wrecked due to one small mistake. Maybe, if you're going to cancel your contract and don't have the will to sing, try to find another career that's less ego-driven? You could take up knitting??

The Adventure of the Toad- hey, isn't that one of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories? (Or maybe I'm thinking of the Giant Rat of Sumatra lol)

{The viscount, who, of course, was present, was the only one to suffer on hearing the thousand echoes of this fresh triumph; for Christine still wore her plain gold ring. A distant voice whispered in the young man's ear:

"She is wearing the ring again to-night; and you did not give it to her. She gave her soul again tonight and did not give it to you... If she will not tell you what she has been doing the past two days ... you must go and ask Erik!"}

Daroga (I'm assuming this is the daroga- it would be a weird way to express an inner monologue, and doesn't quite seem like Erik's style), you're not being that helpful.

I mean, she was wearing the ring all throughout the secret engagement (or at least at the very beginning of it), and NOW is when it upsets you?? You might've asked her to take it off earlier, or, you know, ACTUALLY MENTIONED YOUR CONCERNS TO HER.

Also, if she gave her soul away again, how many souls does Christine even have?? Where does she get them??

{Raoul at once threw himself on his knees before her. He swore to her that he would go and he entreated her never again to withhold a single hour of the ideal happiness which she had promised him. She let her tears flow. They kissed like a despairing brother and sister who have been smitten with a common loss and who meet to mourn a dead parent.

Suddenly, she snatched herself from the young man's soft and timid embrace, seemed to listen to something, and, with a quick gesture, pointed to the door. When he was on the threshold, she said, in so low a voice that the viscount guessed rather than heard her words:

"To-morrow, my dear betrothed! And be happy, Raoul: I sang for you to-night!"}

Sweet dramatic boy... (I SAID earlier that he should be on his knees begging her to associate with him, and now he does it! Yay! Character growth!)

Oh, hey, people crying while kissing... Wonder if that'll come up again. (#nospoilers)

Ewww "like brother and sister" GASTON LOUIS ALFRED LEROUX do you *want* me to root for their romance or not??

TAKE THAT DAROGA (or whoever that was)! She WAS singing for him! (I mean, ideally, I want her to sing for herself, but it's a sweet sentiment I guess??)

{But those two days of absence had broken the charm of their delightful make-believe. They looked at each other, in the dressing-room, with their sad eyes, without exchanging a word. Raoul had to restrain himself not to cry out:

"I am jealous! I am jealous! I am jealous!"}

You are overly dramatic! You are overly dramatic! You are overly dramatic!

{Raoul thought that she would propose a stroll in the country, far from that building which he detested as a prison whose jailer he could feel walking within the walls ... the jailer Erik ...}

Maybe YOU detest it, but have you considered that she might not? She does work there, after all.

{And she would drag him up above the clouds, in the magnificent disorder of the grid, where she loved to make him giddy by running in front of him along the frail bridges, among the thousands of ropes fastened to the pulleys, the windlasses, the rollers, in the midst of a regular forest of yards and masts. If he hesitated, she said, with an adorable pout of her lips:

"You, a sailor!"}

Awww cute! (Also, interesting date idea if you aren't incredibly scared of heights like I am.)

{And then they returned to terra firma, that is to say, to some passage that led them to the little girls' dancing-school, where brats between six and ten were practising their steps, in the hope of becoming great dancers one day, "covered with diamonds ..." Meanwhile, Christine gave them sweets instead.}

Not all the children are brats, surely. YAY CANDY AND BEING NICE TO PEOPLE

{She took him to the wardrobe and property-rooms, took him all over her empire, which was artificial, but immense, covering seventeen stories from the ground-floor to the roof and inhabited by an army of subjects. She moved among them like a popular queen, encouraging them in their labors, sitting down in the workshops, giving words of advice to the workmen whose hands hesitated to cut into the rich stuffs that were to clothe heroes. There were inhabitants of that country who practised every trade. There were cobblers, there were goldsmiths. All had learned to know her and to love her, for she always interested herself in all their troubles and all their little hobbies.}

There was a post going around in Phantom circles on tumblr about how Christine is unintentionally becoming the next Opera Ghost, and I would link to it here but I can't find it??

Christine is totally the queen of the Opera House, though. (Queen but isolated and alone, as it doesn't mention her introducing Raoul to anyone she considers a friend- just underlings and co-workers who she goes out of her way to be nice to.)

{She knew unsuspected corners that were secretly occupied by little old couples. She knocked at their door and introduced Raoul to them as a Prince Charming who had asked for her hand; and the two of them, sitting on some worm-eaten "property," would listen to the legends of the Opera, even as, in their childhood, they had listened to the old Breton tales. Those old people remembered nothing outside the Opera. They had lived there for years without number. Past managements had forgotten them; palace revolutions had taken no notice of them; the history of France had run its course unknown to them; and nobody recollected their existence.}

Ohhh childhood callbacks... (How cool would it be to secretly live in an opera house, though? Probably a lot less cool if you can't remember what it's like outside. Also, what does Erik think of these people? Does he secretly have a soft spot for them, recognizing the parallels in their circumstances? Does he merely tolerate them? Does he take an interest in their wellbeing?)

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Poor Fool, He Makes Me Laugh!

{The next day, he saw her at the Opera. She was still wearing the plain gold ring. She was gentle and kind to him. She talked to him of the plans which he was forming, of his future, of his career.}

So they've reached some sort of unspoken truce- cool!

{He told her that the date of the Polar expedition had been put forward and that he would leave France in three weeks, or a month at latest. She suggested, almost gaily, that he must look upon the voyage with delight, as a stage toward his coming fame. And when he replied that fame without love was no attraction in his eyes, she treated him as a child whose sorrows were only short-lived.

"How can you speak so lightly of such serious things?" he asked. "Perhaps we shall never see each other again! I may die during that expedition."}

Okay, there's a lot to unpack here. First, I'm fairly sure this is one of the few if any instances of CHRISTINE treating Raoul like a child and not vice versa (the only other one that comes to mind is maaybe when she signs her note 'my dear little playfellow'??).

Also, Raoul, you didn't seem to make as big a deal out of you dying/wanting to die earlier?? I thought this expedition was something you WANTED to do... but now you're not sure you'd want to if Christine wouldn't miss you?

{"Or I," she said simply.}

Is this 'yeah, maybe the Phantom will kill me while you're gone?' or just 'yeah, you might die but SO COULD I- let's be real- there's plagues and danger IN PARIS, too.' or maybe something else?

{She no longer smiled or jested. She seemed to be thinking of some new thing that had entered her mind for the first time. Her eyes were all aglow with it.

"What are you thinking of, Christine?"

"I am thinking that we shall not see each other again ..."

"And does that make you so radiant?"}

It seems strange, if she's so excited about the fake engagement prospect, why she'd no longer seem happy but still be 'radiant'. Is she also realizing the impact of what Raoul just said, and contemplating their own imminent mortality?

(Also nice job giving her a compliment without technically phrasing it as a compliment, Raoul.)

{"And that, in a month, we shall have to say good-by for ever!"

"Unless, Christine, we pledge our faith and wait for each other for ever."

She put her hand on his mouth.

"Hush, Raoul! ... You know there is no question of that ... And we shall never be married: that is understood!"

She seemed suddenly almost unable to contain an overpowering gaiety. She clapped her hands with childish glee. Raoul stared at her in amazement.}

Yep, that's basically my reaction as well, Raoul. What even is going on in Christine's head right now??

{"But ... but," she continued, holding out her two hands to Raoul, or rather giving them to him, as though she had suddenly resolved to make him a present of them, "but if we can not be married, we can ... we can be engaged! Nobody will know but ourselves, Raoul. There have been plenty of secret marriages: why not a secret engagement? ... We are engaged, dear, for a month! In a month, you will go away, and I can be happy at the thought of that month all my life long!"}

Oh, think of it! A secret engagement!

(Side note- can it really be called an engagement without an intention to get married eventually? You can be engaged without getting married, but that's because someone decides to break off the engagement because they realize they don't want to be married to that person, not because they never wanted to get married in the first place. The term "fake dating" is actually more accurate to this situation than "secret engagement". In this essay I will-)

{She was enchanted with her inspiration. Then she became serious again.

"This," she said, "IS A HAPPINESS THAT WILL HARM NO ONE."}

Maybe toy with a certain vicomte's feelings a bit, though..

{Raoul jumped at the idea. He bowed to Christine and said:

"Mademoiselle, I have the honor to ask for your hand."

"Why, you have both of them already, my dear betrothed! ... Oh, Raoul, how happy we shall be! ... We must play at being engaged all day long."}

Awww they're adorable (I feel as if I'm slightly betraying my OTP of E/C by saying that, but they *are*!)

{It was the prettiest game in the world and they enjoyed it like the children that they were. Oh, the wonderful speeches they made to each other and the eternal vows they exchanged! They played at hearts as other children might play at ball; only, as it was really their two hearts that they flung to and fro, they had to be very, very handy to catch them, each time, without hurting them.}

Oh, hey, now LEROUX is infantilizing both of them- this is not exactly progress... (Nice metaphor, though.)

{One day, about a week after the game began, Raoul's heart was badly hurt and he stopped playing and uttered these wild words:

"I shan't go to the North Pole!"

Christine, who, in her innocence, had not dreamed of such a possibility, suddenly discovered the danger of the game and reproached herself bitterly. She did not say a word in reply to Raoul's remark and went straight home.}

How was this something you didn't consider?? You KNEW he had very strong feelings for you- feelings that wouldn't be satisfied by merely A MONTH of pretending at a future relationship that could never come to be... So you just noped right out of there.

{This happened in the afternoon, in the singer's dressing-room, where they met every day and where they amused themselves by dining on three biscuits, two glasses of port and a bunch of violets. In the evening, she did not sing; and he did not receive his usual letter, though they had arranged to write to each other daily during that month.}

Weird meal but okay. (Also- is this referring to British or American biscuits? Because that's kind of an important detail that might change the whole meal.)

Did she normally sing for him during the evening, or was this just referring to her usual practice for her job?

Awww they're writing love letters to each other- that's a really good decision since after the fake engagement is over they'll have keepsakes of that month to remember each other and their happiness by. (In nineteenth-century Paris we write letters... we write letters.. sorry, couldn't help myself!)

Current Mood: complacent
Current Music: All I Ask of You

{Thereupon, seeing the hostility with which her ward had addressed the viscount, Mamma Valerius suddenly took Christine's part.

"And, if she does love that man, Monsieur le Vicomte, even then it is no business of yours!"}

YEP! (Thanks for *finally* agreeing with your basically adopted daughter, Mme. Valerius.)

{"Alas, madame," Raoul humbly replied, unable to restrain his tears, "alas, I believe that Christine really does love him! ... But it is not only that which drives me to despair; for what I am not certain of, madame, is that the man whom Christine loves is worthy of her love!"

"It is for me to be the judge of that, monsieur!" said Christine, looking Raoul angrily in the face.}

And Raoul just started crying again- I should really keep a count of how many times he cries in this novel. EDIT: I did a CTRL+F, and I think, as of this point, he's burst into tears 4 times so far.

(Also, Christine is right. It's her choice, even if it is a bad decision. Raoul is within his rights to express his concerns to her, but it is ultimately HER DECISION as to whether or not she does decide to be with him.)

{"Raoul, why do you condemn a man whom you have never seen, whom no one knows and about whom you yourself know nothing?"}

GOOD POINT. (*whispers* the reason why is JEALOUSY, Christine)

{"Yes, Christine ... Yes ... I at least know the name that you thought to keep from me for ever ... The name of your Angel of Music, mademoiselle, is Erik!"

Christine at once betrayed herself. She turned as white as a sheet and stammered: "Who told you?"

"You yourself!"

"How do you mean?"

"By pitying him the other night, the night of the masked ball. When you went to your dressing-room, did you not say, 'Poor Erik?' Well, Christine, there was a poor Raoul who overheard you."}

FINALLY HE FIGURES IT OUT. (Still, spying on her is not cool.)

{"This is the second time that you have listened behind the door, M. de Chagny!"

"I was not behind the door ... I was in the dressing-room, in the inner room, mademoiselle."}

Raoul, that's not exactly absolving you... 'Oh, I wasn't eavesdropping on you from OUTSIDE your door-' 'Oh, good!' 'I was hiding INSIDE your rooms and listening!' 'Seriously?'

{"Oh, unhappy man!" moaned the girl, showing every sign of unspeakable terror. "Unhappy man! Do you want to be killed?"

"Perhaps."

Raoul uttered this "perhaps" with so much love and despair in his voice that Christine could not keep back a sob. She took his hands and looked at him with all the pure affection of which she was capable:}

Raoul... You need help. Therapy, preferably. Even Christine thinks so.

{"Raoul," she said, "forget THE MAN'S VOICE and do not even remember its name... You must never try to fathom the mystery of THE MAN'S VOICE."

"Is the mystery so very terrible?"

"There is no more awful mystery on this earth. Swear to me that you will make no attempt to find out," she insisted. "Swear to me that you will never come to my dressing-room, unless I send for you."}

So, basically, Raoul- you need to chill and stop spying on people.

{"Then you promise to send for me sometimes, Christine?"

"I promise."

"When?"

"To-morrow."

"Then I swear to do as you ask."

He kissed her hands and went away, cursing Erik and resolving to be patient.}

And what he gets from 'you should seriously stop spying on me ' is 'well, since I can't follow you WITHOUT your knowledge, can we maybe hang out sometime?'. I do hope that he can learn to be patient, though! (And actually do what Christine says..)

Current Mood: anxious

{"On the contrary, mademoiselle," said the young man, in a voice which he tried to make firm and brave, but which still trembled, "anything that concerns you interests me to an extent which perhaps you will one day understand. I do not deny that my surprise equals my pleasure at finding you with your adopted mother and that, after what happened between us yesterday, after what you said and what I was able to guess, I hardly expected to see you here so soon. I should be the first to delight at your return, if you were not so bent on preserving a secrecy that may be fatal to you ... and I have been your friend too long not to be alarmed, with Mme. Valerius, at a disastrous adventure which will remain dangerous so long as we have not unraveled its threads and of which you will certainly end by being the victim, Christine."}

Why are you so stuck on the possibility of her getting murdered???

{"An impostor is abusing her good faith."

"Is the Angel of Music an impostor?"

"She told you herself that there is no Angel of Music."

"But then what is it, in Heaven's name? You will be the death of me!"

"There is a terrible mystery around us, madame, around you, around Christine, a mystery much more to be feared than any number of ghosts or genii!"}

Remind me, when did she tell Mrs. Valerius that? Because I don't recall her ever disabusing the notion that her absences were simply her visiting the Angel of Music. EDIT: no, wait- she did! though in more of an 'I'm just saying this to get you to calm down' way

Also, isn't the plural of genie genies??

{"That is what you must promise, Christine. It is the only thing that can reassure your mother and me. We will undertake not to ask you a single question about the past, if you promise us to remain under our protection in future."}

That's.. nice. 'Yeah, we won't make you answer any questions about the weird things that are happening, but you can't disappear or have music lessons with this 'angel' ever again.'

(Also, Raoul sort of manipulating her by holding the conversation within earshot of her adoptive mother and deliberately making her worry in order to ensure that Christine will stay? Not cool, man.)

{"That is an undertaking which I have not asked of you and a promise which I refuse to make you!" said the young girl haughtily. "I am mistress of my own actions, M. de Chagny: you have no right to control them, and I will beg you to desist henceforth. As to what I have done during the last fortnight, there is only one man in the world who has the right to demand an account of me: my husband! Well, I have no husband and I never mean to marry!"}

YOU GO, CHRISTINE. YOU AREN'T MARRIED TO HIM AND YOU SHOULDN'T LET ANYONE ELSE CONTROL YOUR ACTIONS. (this mean you, Erik.) IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. ALSO RAOUL IS BEING RATHER NOSY AND OVERSTEPPING HIS BOUNDS.

{"You have no husband and yet you wear a wedding-ring."

He tried to seize her hand, but she swiftly drew it back.

"That's a present!" she said, blushing once more and vainly striving to hide her embarrassment.}

Yeah, maybe don't grab someone without asking, especially while you're in the middle of a disagreement.

{"Christine! As you have no husband, that ring can only have been given by one who hopes to make you his wife! Why deceive us further? Why torture me still more? That ring is a promise; and that promise has been accepted!"}

Ah, yes, why torture me still more, because my feelings are the only ones that matter... It's not her fault that you didn't notice the ring before and thus assumed she was free to be with you.

{"What I chose," said Christine, driven to exasperation. "Don't you think, monsieur, that this cross-examination has lasted long enough? As far as I am concerned ..."

Raoul was afraid to let her finish her speech. He interrupted her}

LET HER SPEAK. Just a minute ago, you demanded an explanation. Now, you might be getting one but you cut her off because you're afraid of what you might hear.

{"I beg your pardon for speaking as I did, mademoiselle. You know the good intentions that make me meddle, just now, in matters which, you no doubt think, have nothing to do with me. But allow me to tell you what I have seen—and I have seen more than you suspect, Christine—or what I thought I saw, for, to tell you the truth, I have sometimes been inclined to doubt the evidence of my eyes."}

Frankly, you should be getting down on your knees and *begging* her to let you associate with her again. Also, I really don't think 'good intentions' is a good excuse for your recent behavior, nor does it justify meddling, no matter how close you were in the past.

*insert Wicked's "my road of good intentions/led where such roads always lead" here*

by the way, she thinks the matters have nothing to do with you, and she's right! they don't. Respect the lady's wishes, Raoul.

{"I saw your ecstasy AT THE SOUND OF THE VOICE, Christine: the voice that came from the wall or the next room to yours ... yes, YOUR ECSTASY! And that is what makes me alarmed on your behalf. You are under a very dangerous spell. And yet it seems that you are aware of the imposture, because you say to-day THAT THERE IS NO ANGEL OF MUSIC! In that case, Christine, why did you follow him that time? Why did you stand up, with radiant features, as though you were really hearing angels? ... Ah, it is a very dangerous voice, Christine, for I myself, when I heard it, was so much fascinated by it that you vanished before my eyes without my seeing which way you passed! Christine, Christine, in the name of Heaven, in the name of your father who is in Heaven now and who loved you so dearly and who loved me too, Christine, tell us, tell your benefactress and me, to whom does that voice belong? If you do, we will save you in spite of yourself. Come, Christine, the name of the man! The name of the man who had the audacity to put a ring on your finger!"}

As I recall, you were pretty entrance by the voice too, Raoul, so you have no room to criticize in that regard... Also, I just hate that he says 'we will save you in spite of yourself', like he's the hero and she's the poor frightened manipulated child.

I suspect that Raoul's fatal flaw is, much like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, a 'saving people thing'. And maybe a little of Emma Woodhouse's 'I know people better than they know themselves, which justifies any manipulation of them because it's for their own good, even if they don't realize it yet' as well. (If you haven't read Jane Austen's Emma and are now thinking 'wow, this person sounds horrible'- don't worry. She gets better.)

Current Mood: amused

{But look here!" he cried. "Can't you tell me what all this means! ... You are free, there is no one to interfere with you... You go about Paris ... You put on a domino to come to the ball... Why do you not go home? ... What have you been doing this past fortnight? ... What is this tale about the Angel of Music, which you have been telling Mamma Valerius? Some one may have taken you in, played upon your innocence. I was a witness of it myself, at Perros ... but you know what to believe now! You seem to me quite sensible, Christine. You know what you are doing ... And meanwhile Mamma Valerius lies waiting for you at home and appealing to your 'good genius!' ... Explain yourself, Christine, I beg of you! Any one might have been deceived as I was. What is this farce?"}

Well, Raoul, you really don't seem to act like you think Christine is 'quite sensible' and knows what she is doing... (At least he's admitting that he's probably been deceived.)

{Christine simply took off her mask and said: "Dear, it is a tragedy!"

Raoul now saw her face and could not restrain an exclamation of surprise and terror. The fresh complexion of former days was gone. A mortal pallor covered those features, which he had known so charming and so gentle, and sorrow had furrowed them with pitiless lines and traced dark and unspeakably sad shadows under her eyes.}

If *that* is what causes you surprise and terror, you won't last a minute of seeing Erik's unmasked face.

{"My dearest! My dearest!" he moaned, holding out his arms. "You promised to forgive me ..."

"Perhaps! ... Some day, perhaps!" she said, resuming her mask}

Yes, she said she might not be able to forgive you right away- just think of what you said to her only a few minutes ago! (Also I love that Christine wearing a mask is emphasized and connected to her putting up a front for Raoul. One thing I miss in the ALW musical is that Christine never wears a mask herself in masquerade- only sometimes carries one.)

{ He had only time to hide in the inner room, which was separated from the dressing-room by a curtain.}

Oh, so you're trespassing in her room without permission now, aren't you, Raoul?

{Christine entered, took off her mask with a weary movement and flung it on the table. She sighed and let her pretty head fall into her two hands. What was she thinking of? Of Raoul? No, for Raoul heard her murmur: "Poor Erik!"At first, he thought he must be mistaken. To begin with, he was persuaded that, if any one was to be pitied, it was he, Raoul. It would have been quite natural if she had said, "Poor Raoul," after what had happened between them. But, shaking her head, she repeated: "Poor Erik!"

What had this Erik to do with Christine's sighs and why was she pitying Erik when Raoul was so unhappy?}

Not everything is about you, Raoul. If anything, 'poor Christine' would be more appropriate, as she's currently under more strain right now than you or Erik. (Also why is Christine pitying Erik after these events? Because of how he as Red Death was treated at the masquerade? Because she realizes that she might potentially care for Raoul more than him? Or is it something else?)

#givechristinedaaeabreak

{"Here I am, Erik," she said. "I am ready. But you are late."

Raoul, peeping from behind the curtain, could not believe his eyes, which showed him nothing. Christine's face lit up. A smile of happiness appeared upon her bloodless lips, a smile like that of sick people when they receive the first hope of recovery.}

Why is he late? Did he have too much 'fun' terrorizing people at the masquerade? Did he run into the daroga? Was he checking on Raoul's whereabouts?

{The voice without a body went on singing; and certainly Raoul had never in his life heard anything more absolutely and heroically sweet, more gloriously insidious, more delicate, more powerful, in short, more irresistibly triumphant. He listened to it in a fever and he now began to understand how Christine Daae was able to appear one evening, before the stupefied audience, with accents of a beauty hitherto unknown, of a superhuman exaltation, while doubtless still under the influence of the mysterious and invisible master.}

Oooh, there's some excellent phrases here: 'gloriously insidious' 'irresistably triumphant' 'accents of a beauty hitherto unknown'. This paragraph is just gorgeously rendered <3

{The strains went through Raoul's heart. Struggling against the charm that seemed to deprive him of all his will and all his energy and of almost all his lucidity at the moment when he needed them most}

The Phantom definetely isn't as ambigously magical in Leroux as he is in ALW, but his voice does seem to have some sort of hypnotic quality that bends people towards his will or deprives them of the strength of ability to do more than just listen enrapturedly.

{Christine walked toward her image in the glass and the image came toward her. The two Christines—the real one and the reflection—ended by touching; and Raoul put out his arms to clasp the two in one embrace. But, by a sort of dazzling miracle that sent him staggering, Raoul was suddenly flung back, while an icy blast swept over his face; he saw, not two, but four, eight, twenty Christines spinning round him, laughing at him and fleeing so swiftly that he could not touch one of them. At last, everything stood still again; and he saw himself in the glass. But Christine had disappeared.}

Okay, seriously, WHAT just happened. Is he delirious from lack of sleep or food, is this magic, hypnotism, a hallucination, or just a weird inexplicable Phantom-y trick??? I'm so confused.

{Then, worn out, beaten, empty-brained, he sat down on the chair which Christine had just left. Like her, he let his head fall into his hands. When he raised it, the tears were streaming down his young cheeks, real, heavy tears like those which jealous children shed, tears that wept for a sorrow which was in no way fanciful, but which is common to all the lovers on earth and which he expressed aloud:

"Who is this Erik?"}

I wouldn't say Raoul's entirely empty-brained. Just young and a bit thoughtless and reckless and quick to jump to conclusions. (Also for someone who was so quick to link the Angel of Music = a guy who's just pretending to be that in order to get close to Christine, how is it that he can't figure out that the man's voice = Erik??? I mean, she was just talking about Erik, and then the voice showed up so??)

{He came upon a charming picture. Christine herself was seated by the bedside of the old lady, who was sitting up against the pillows, knitting. The pink and white had returned to the young girl's cheeks. The dark rings round her eyes had disappeared. Raoul no longer recognized the tragic face of the day before. If the veil of melancholy over those adorable features had not still appeared to the young man as the last trace of the weird drama in whose toils that mysterious child was struggling, he could have believed that Christine was not its heroine at all.}

For the last time, she is NOT a helpless child that needs to be taken care of, she is a grown woman and she IS the heroine of this 'weird drama'.

Current Mood: blank

{With his face in a mask trimmed with long, thick lace, looking like a pierrot in his white wrap, the viscount thought himself very ridiculous. Men of the world do not go to the Opera ball in fancy-dress! It was absurd. One thought, however, consoled the viscount: he would certainly never be recognized!}

Picturing Raoul in a lacy getup is.. very strange. Also hilarious. (And note the example of Raoul's mental what-would-Philippe-do- apparently not go to the opera ball in fancy dress, but that's not stopping Raoul!)

{He was afraid of losing her, after meeting her again in such strange circumstances. His grudge against her was gone. He no longer doubted that she had "nothing to reproach herself with," however peculiar and inexplicable her conduct might seem. He was ready to make any display of clemency, forgiveness or cowardice. He was in love. And, no doubt, he would soon receive a very natural explanation of her curious absence.}

At least now he's forgiven her and given her the benefit of the doubt, instead of making judgments about her character! Good for you, Raoul!

{As Raoul once more passed through the great crush-room, this time in the wake of his guide, he could not help noticing a group crowding round a person whose disguise, eccentric air and gruesome appearance were causing a sensation. It was a man dressed all in scarlet, with a huge hat and feathers on the top of a wonderful death's head. From his shoulders hung an immense red-velvet cloak, which trailed along the floor like a king's train; and on this cloak was embroidered, in gold letters, which every one read and repeated aloud, "Don't touch me! I am Red Death stalking abroad!"}

Ohhh the Phantom's also in the crush-room; how appropriate!

{The black domino kept on turning back and, apparently, on two occasions saw something that startled her, for she hurried her pace and Raoul's as though they were being pursued.}

Does Christine think the Red Death is following her (I am almost certain that Christine knows that Red Death is the Phantom), or does she think it's someone else, like the Persian?

{She tried to close the door, but Raoul prevented her; for he had seen, on the top step of the staircase that led to the floor above, A RED FOOT, followed by another ... and slowly, majestically, the whole scarlet dress of Red Death met his eyes. And he once more saw the death's head of Perros-Guirec.

"It's he!" he exclaimed. "This time, he shall not escape me! ..."}

Now is not the time to play romantic hero, Raoul.

{"Whom do you mean by 'he'?" she asked, in a changed voice. "Who shall not escape you?"

Raoul tried to overcome the girl's resistance by force, but she repelled him with a strength which he would not have suspected in her. He understood, or thought he understood, and at once lost his temper.}

Christine: now, officially, just as strong if not more so than Raoul!

{"Who?" he repeated angrily. "Why, he, the man who hides behind that hideous mask of death! ... The evil genius of the churchyard at Perros! ... Red Death! ... In a word, madam, your friend ... your Angel of Music! ... But I shall snatch off his mask, as I shall snatch off my own; and, this time, we shall look each other in the face, he and I, with no veil and no lies between us; and I shall know whom you love and who loves you!"}

That's.. probably not a mask of death, Raoul. It's his face... Be more considerate- some people just have naturally ugly faces!

(Also, at this point does Raoul think that Christine was lying about the whole Angel thing to cover up that she has a lover, or does he think she's being duped by someone pretending to be the Angel in order to get in a relationship with her?)

{He burst into a mad laugh, while Christine gave a disconsolate moan behind her velvet mask. With a tragic gesture, she flung out her two arms, which fixed a barrier of white flesh against the door.

"In the name of our love, Raoul, you shall not pass! ..."}

I'm very confused. Whyyy at this point does she love him? Is it for the sake of the past? Does she recognize that he has good intentions despite his actions? Does Christine just think that stalking is really romantic? (That would explain a lot, actually.)

{"You lie, madam, for you do not love me and you have never loved me! What a poor fellow I must be to let you mock and flout me as you have done! Why did you give me every reason for hope, at Perros ... for honest hope, madam, for I am an honest man and I believed you to be an honest woman, when your only intention was to deceive me! Alas, you have deceived us all! You have taken a shameful advantage of the candid affection of your benefactress herself, who continues to believe in your sincerity while you go about the Opera ball with Red Death! ... I despise you! ..."

And he burst into tears.}

When did she give you reason to hope at Perros?? Also, I know he's trying to berate Christine here, but the self-loathing leaking in is.. disturbingly strong.

(To be fair, I would also cry in that situation, as conflict-averse as I am.)

{"You will beg my pardon, one day, for all those ugly words, Raoul, and when you do I shall forgive you!"}

That's.. really nice of you, Christine! Recognizing that he doesn't know the truth and has no reason to think you're behaving honorably right now, and that's what's driving the cruel words coming out of his mouth.

{He shook his head. "No, no, you have driven me mad! When I think that I had only one object in life: to give my name to an opera wench!"}

What about your career in the navy? Your family? You have so much more in your life to care about other than Christine- you can't hang your entire hopes on one person!

{"Raoul! ... How can you?"

"I shall die of shame!"

"No, dear, live!"}

How can he? Well, he can propose, and you two can get married, and you would take his name and title and become the Viscomtess de Chagny.

(Also, I question whether Raoul's being hyperbolic due to the strong emotions of first love, or if this situation has sparked genuinely suicidal thoughts in him? Poor boy.)

{ He risked one more sarcasm:

"Oh, you must let me come and applaud you from time to time!"}

No offense, sweetie, but that's not really funny. Or a good use of sarcasm. Maybe leave that to the Phantom.

{"I shall never sing again, Raoul! ..."}

Never sing again as in sing for an audience (as opposed to the Phantom alone), or that she just doesn't want to sing anymore because of the strife it has caused?

{"Really?" he replied, still more satirically. "So he is taking you off the stage: I congratulate you! ... But we shall meet in the Bois, one of these evenings!"}

Ohhhh he's obliquely mock-congratulating her on her engagement. Now THAT was actually good use of sarcasm.

{"Not in the Bois nor anywhere, Raoul: you shall not see me again ..."

"May one ask at least to what darkness you are returning? ... For what hell are you leaving, mysterious lady ... or for what paradise?"

"I came to tell you, dear, but I can't tell you now ... you would not believe me! You have lost faith in me, Raoul; it is finished!"

She spoke in such a despairing voice that the lad began to feel remorse for his cruelty.}

*That* is a finely worded question, Mssr. le Vicomte. An overly formal, but polite inquiry that even somewhat references mythology relevant to the situation! And you BETTER BE feeling remorse now, buddy, after what you just said.

Current Mood: calm

Fair warning- I may be a little bit harsh on Raoul in this one. His constant variation between lovesick pining, infantilizing Christine, and blaming Christine for leading him on was getting on my nerves.

{His brother was waiting for him and Raoul fell into his arms, like a child. The count consoled him, without asking for explanations; and Raoul would certainly have long hesitated before telling him the story of the Angel of Music.}

Awww... Brotherly bonding. (Well, with a hint of 'yeah, no way I can tell you the truth- you'll think I'm crazy')

{With a lack-luster eye, he stared down that cold, desolate road and into the pale, dead night. Nothing was colder than his heart, nothing half so dead: he had loved an angel and now he despised a woman!}

Yeah, maaaybe don't deify people and put them up on a pedestal, Raoul- that's practically asking for disappointment.

{Raoul, how that little fairy of the North has trifled with you! Was it really, was it really necessary to have so fresh and young 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 night, in a carriage and pair, accompanied by a mysterious lover? Surely there should be some limit to hypocrisy and lying! ...
She had passed without answering his cry ... And he was thinking of dying; and he was twenty years old! ...}

Ohhh he's sad now (even though she told him not to contact him again, and she's free to see whoever she wishes- it's not like they're engaged!). It's... not so remarkable to be thinking of dying at age twenty- that's called depression, and it means you need some help, Raoul. You kind of need to get over Christine if thinking of her causes you so much pain right now.

{ He had recognized Christine's paper and hand-writing. She said:
DEAR: Go to the masked ball at the Opera on the night after to-morrow. At twelve o'clock, be in the little room behind the chimney-place of the big crush-room. Stand near the door that leads to the Rotunda. Don't mention this appointment to any one on earth. Wear a white domino and be carefully masked. As you love me, do not let yourself be recognized. CHRISTINE.}

Oh no- you're getting his hopes up! (LOL- the crush-room is a very appropriate place for them to meet, though.)

{The envelope was covered with mud and unstamped. It bore the words "To be handed to M. le Vicomte Raoul de Chagny," with the address in pencil. It must have been flung out in the hope that a passer-by would pick up the note and deliver it, which was what happened.}

That is an incredibly insecure and imprecise way to deliver a message. Society would be in disarray if we all just flung our letters out wherever and hoped that someone would deliver it without reading it themselves beforehand.

{Raoul read it over again with fevered eyes. No more was needed to revive his hope.}

oh no he's getting his hopes up

{The somber picture which he had for a moment imagined of a Christine forgetting her duty to herself made way for his original conception of an unfortunate, innocent child, the victim of imprudence and exaggerated sensibility. To what extent, at this time, was she really a victim? Whose prisoner was she? Into what whirlpool had she been dragged? He asked himself these questions with a cruel anguish; but even this pain seemed endurable beside the frenzy into which he was thrown at the thought of a lying and deceitful Christine. What had happened? What influence had she undergone? What monster had carried her off and by what means?}

She's an ADULT WOMAN and hardly helpless, Raoul. (Besides, why would you want to help someone who you not FIVE MINUTES ago thought was a cruel deciever.) Maybe she does not need or want your help, just wants to clear up the misconceptions you have about her (such as that she is in desperate need of your assistance and borderline stalking in order to be safe).

{He knew Christine's story. After her father's death, she acquired a distaste of everything in life, including her art. She went through the CONSERVATOIRE like a poor soulless singing-machine.}

*cough* THAT'S CALLED DEPRESSION, RAOUL *cough*

{And, suddenly, she awoke as though through the intervention of a god. The Angel of Music appeared upon the scene! She sang Margarita in FAUST and triumphed!}

Try Angel of Music- a revolutionary new treatment for depression and general malaise! Success in the music world guaranteed! (Side effects may include accidentally getting into a relationship with your new music teacher and your old boyfriend distrusting and stalking you.)

{Raoul's fingers clutched at his flesh, above his jealous heart. In his inexperience, he now asked himself with terror what game the girl was playing? Up to what point could an opera-singer make a fool of a good-natured young man, quite new to love? O misery! ... Thus did Raoul's thoughts fly from one extreme to the other. He no longer knew whether to pity Christine or to curse her; and he pitied and cursed her turn and turn about. }

You really need to make up your mind- do you genuinely love, care for, and want what's best for Christine, even if her future does not involve you, or do you think she's a deceitful, imprudent, philandering wretch that you shouldn't be associating with?

Current Mood: annoyed

{"Madame ... where is Christine?"

And the old lady replied calmly:

"She is with her good genius!"

"What good genius?" exclaimed poor Raoul.

"Why, the Angel of Music!"

The viscount dropped into a chair. Really? Christine was with the Angel of Music?}

Being with an angel does not necessarily mean one is dead, Raoul. But, yes, poor Raoul- I bet he's entirely fed up with imaginative people, who don't say what they mean and believe in fairytales.

{He hardly knew what he was saying, for his ideas about Christine, already greatly confused, were becoming more and more entangled; and it seemed as if everything was beginning to turn around him, around the room, around that extraordinary good lady with the white hair and forget-me-not eyes.}

You seem dizzy- you should probably drink some water and lie down. That may be how intense confusion feels, but you still likely have low blood sugar or something.

{She is fond of me!" sighed the young man. He found a difficulty in collecting his thoughts and bringing them to bear on Mamma Valerius' "good genius," on the Angel of Music of whom Christine had spoken to him so strangely,}

And Raoul is immediately distracted from his missing, possibly dead crush because her mom just told him that Christine kind of likes him. (Oh, the utter distraction of a first crush!)

{He asked in a low voice: "What makes you think that Christine is fond of me, madame?"

"She used to speak of you every day."

"Really? ... And what did she tell you?"

"She told me that you had made her a proposal!"

And the good old lady began laughing wholeheartedly. Raoul sprang from his chair, flushing to the temples, suffering agonies.}

awww he's blushing!!! (Yeah, I'd be laughing too at that reaction.)

{"Is Christine engaged to be married?" the wretched Raoul asked, in a choking voice.

"Why no! Why no! ... You know as well as I do that Christine couldn't marry, even if she wanted to!"

"But I don't know anything about it! ... And why can't Christine marry?"

"Because of the Angel of Music, of course! ..."

"I don't follow ..."

"Yes, he forbids her to! ..."}

That moment when you're actually not sure if your crush has a boyfriend or not.

{"Oh, he forbids her ... without forbidding her. It's like this: he tells her that, if she got married, she would never hear him again. That's all! ... And that he would go away for ever! ... So, you understand, she can't let the Angel of Music go. It's quite natural."

"Yes, yes," echoed Raoul submissively, "it's quite natural."}

No, it's not 'quite natural'- it's M A N I P U L A T I O N. Which is not okay even if he is in love with Christine!

{Raoul de Chagny rose and, with a very authoritative air, pronounced these peremptory words:

"Madame, you will have the goodness to tell me where that genius lives."

The old lady did not seem surprised at this indiscreet command. She raised her eyes and said:

"In Heaven!"

Such simplicity baffled him.}

Mme. Valerius, you're not exactly helping him get over the 'was Christine murdered?!?' theory.

{He walked home to his brother's house in a pitiful state. He could have struck himself, banged his head against the walls! To think that he had believed in her innocence, in her purity! The 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 and as wretched as could be. Oh, what a miserable, little, insignificant, silly young man was M. le Vicomte de Chagny! thought Raoul, furiously. And she, what a bold and ... sly creature!}

Raoul, you are a tenor and good-looking. You have absolutely no room to talk. Also, isn't mouthing the words required to sing?? WHy is he upset about that???

You are silly, yes, and young. But earnest and big-hearted and absolutely well-meaning and sweet! If Christine really is as sly as you currently think, then you really deserve better than to make yourself miserable pursuing her.

Current Mood: busy

{That tragic evening was bad for everybody. Carlotta fell ill. As for Christine Daae, she disappeared after the performance. A fortnight elapsed during which she was seen neither at the Opera nor outside.}

Wait- was Carlotta actually sick, or did she just claim she was as an excuse to escape the public eye? (Also, if we're really doing a recap of the chandelier night, it might be good to mention that SOMEONE DIED. The supposedly 'vulgar' replacement for Mme. Giry, that is. No one replaces Madame Giry.)

{One afternoon he went to the managers' office to ask the reason of Christine's disappearance. He found them both looking extremely worried. Their own friends did not recognize them: they had lost all their gaiety and spirits. They were seen crossing the stage with hanging heads, care-worn brows, pale cheeks, as though pursued by some abominable thought or a prey to some persistent sport of fate.}

Awww poor managers... :( Not feeling up to being their usual delightfully snarky selves.

{In their daily intercourse, they showed themselves very impatient, except with Mme. Giry, who had been reinstated in her functions.}

N̶̡̨͙̞̾̾̀̑̓͋O̸̳̥̦͋̈́̽͑̕ ̸̡̛̬̖̬͈̗͆̎̒̈́͝Ō̸̖̦͈̿̇͝ͅN̴̢̥̥̯̑̀̇͛͛̚Ę̷̙̰͎̉͝ ̶̛̮͓̪̼̃͐̕ͅR̶͓̖̗̪͖̿̀̕͝Ę̸̖̬̪̙͍̊P̸̡̨͕̭̻̂̿́̚͠L̵̡̧͕̩͕̃̉̒̚͜Ä̶̞͕̗́́̾̉C̵͇͚͚̤͒̒̑͆̅͘Ȩ̵̧̜͙̩͌̄S̶̥̔ ̴̪̜͕̤͍͗ͅM̴̮̈́͐̈́́̓A̶̭̼͓̣͈̚D̴̗̖̻̫͂͜A̸̢̙͛M̴̪̬͎͙̅͆̓̾̈́̕ͅE̵̥̫͇̻̞̾̽͌̆ͅ ̴̡̛̟̻̠͌Ǵ̶̪͇̩͔̽̍̆I̴̦͖̒͝R̵̡̻̟͚̋̆Y̵̦͐͋̉̀̋͠

{And their reception of 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 long the holiday was for, and they replied curtly that it was for an unlimited period, as Mlle. Daae had requested leave of absence for reasons of health.

"Then she is ill!" he cried. "What is the matter with her?"

"We don't know."

...

Raoul left the building a prey to the gloomiest thoughts. He resolved, come what might, to go and inquire of Mamma Valerius. He remembered the strong phrases in Christine's letter, forbidding him to make any attempt to see her. But what he had seen at Perros, what he had heard behind the dressing-room door, his conversation with Christine at the edge of the moor made him suspect some machination which, devilish though it might be, was none the less human. }

You're on the right track, Raoul!

{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 this art was made manifest to her in certain exceptional conditions,}

Not everyone is rich and has access to a good education, Raoul. And some people take deaths harder than others! Your parents died and you have several siblings old enough to remember them- you should know that! Grief is hard and weird and everyone goes through it at their own pace.

Also since when is having a good imagination, being kind, and intensely enjoying one's art a bad thing??

{Of whom was Christine Daae the victim? }

She hasn't been murdered, Raoul!

{he rang at a little flat in the Rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. The door was opened by the maid whom he had seen coming out of Christine's dressing-room one evening.}

Oh, hey- it's that maid again! (I still want to know her name and background and what she thinks of the odd whimsicality of her employers.)

{Five minutes later, Raoul was ushered into an ill-lit room where he at once recognized the good, kind face of Christine's benefactress in the semi-darkness of an alcove. Mamma Valerius' hair was now quite white, but her eyes had grown no older; never, on the contrary, had their expression been so bright, so pure, so child-like.

"M. de Chagny!" she cried gaily, putting out both her hands to her visitor. "Ah, it's Heaven that sends you here! ... We can talk of HER."

This last sentence sounded very gloomily in the young man's ears.}

DO YOU STILL SERIOUSLY THINK SHE'S BEEN MURDERED, RAOUL???

Current Mood: anxious

{"The little baggage!" growled the count.}

Weird insult, but okay.

{Raoul, behind the curtain of his hands that veiled his boyish tears, thought only of the letter which he received on his return to Paris, where Christine, fleeing from Perros like a thief in the night, had arrived before him}

Boyish tears? I was under the impression that tears were simply water flowing from one's eyes- I wasn't aware that they were inherently gendered.

{Thenceforth, certain of herself, certain of her friends in the house, certain of her voice and her success, fearing nothing, Carlotta flung herself into her part without restraint of modesty ... She was no longer Margarita, she was Carmen.}

Forgive me for my little knowledge of Opera, but aren't Margarite from Faust and Carmen from.. er, Carmen, two completely different character types?

Also, gentle readers, I have taken the liberty of removing the massive amounts of quotations from Faust in this chapter. It might mean something to someone who is familiar with Faust and could pinpoint where exactly they are at the moment, but I am generally disregarding it.

{The uproar in the house was indescribable. If the thing had happened to any one but Carlotta, she would have been hooted. But everybody knew how perfect an instrument her voice was; and there was no display of anger, but only of horror and dismay, the sort of dismay which men would have felt if they had witnessed the catastrophe that broke the arms of the Venus de Milo...}

Well, I'm glad that the audience likes Carlotta and isn't taking the oppertunity to kick her while she's down. (Even if she might deserve it, given her treatment of Christine.)

{So much so that, after some seconds spent in asking herself if she had really heard that note, that sound, that infernal noise issue from her throat, she tried to persuade herself that it was not so, that she was the victim of an illusion, an illusion of the ear, and not of an act of treachery on the part of her voice....}

How dare you, Carlotta's voice! You treacherous wretch! (Also, it's interesting to note that Carlotta's ego is partially right- her voice is a technically perfect instrument, and the audience recognizes it.)

{Moncharmin and Richard had turned very pale. This extraordinary and inexplicable incident filled them with a dread which was the more mysterious inasmuch as for some little while, they had fallen within the direct influence of the ghost. They had felt his breath. Moncharmin's hair stood on end. Richard wiped the perspiration from his forehead. Yes, the ghost was there, around them, behind them, beside them; they felt his presence without seeing him, they heard his breath, close, close, close to them!}

It's not polite to just stand there and breathe down people's necks without saying anything, Erik. At least give them something ominous to haunt their nightmares! (Or, alternatively, the quacking incident has put the managers so on edge that they're just imagining things.)

{THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE SMARTING UNDER THE GHOST'S ATTACKS.}

WOAH SUDDEN ALL CAPS TO EMPHASIZE THE DRAMA (seriously, Leroux really likes sudden all caps)

{"I feel without alarm ...
I feel without alarm—co-ack!
With its melody enwind me—co-ack!
And all my heart sub—co-ack!"}

That feeling when you get the hiccups.

{And, at last, they distinctly heard his voice in their right ears, the impossible voice, the mouthless voice, saying: "SHE IS SINGING TO-NIGHT TO BRING THE CHANDELIER DOWN!"}

Okay, just because you can't see who's talking doesn't mean he doesn't have a mouth!

{The chandelier, the immense mass of the chandelier was slipping down, coming toward them, at the call of that fiendish voice. Released from its hook, it plunged from the ceiling and came smashing into the middle of the stalls, amid a thousand shouts of terror}

So, is Erik up there with the chandelier throwing his voice, or is he down in Box Five with the manager and somehow remotely crashing the chandelier? For that matter, was Carlotta really quacking, or was that him throwing his voice? And if he messed with her throat spray, then why did it fail at that exact moment and not earlier, while she was being Carmen-esque?

Current Mood: contemplative

Part 20! I didn't think we'd get this far! Trying some HTML for the first time so bear with me if the formatting is a little weird :)

{As she sang these first two lines, with her bunch of roses and lilacs in her hand, Christine, raising her head, saw the Vicomte de Chagny in his box; and, from that moment, her voice seemed less sure, less crystal-clear than usual. Something seemed to deaden and dull her singing...}

So is Raoul the one responsible for her drop in singing quality, or is it something else?

The Phantom seems to be associated with angelic perfection in Christine's singing, while in the context of her father sweetness and purity is predominant. Obligation features heavily in Christine pursuing an education in music funded by the Valerius', while Raoul, who is drawn to the sweet and unearthly nature of her voice, is now potentially responsible now for imperfection, for giving pause and interjecting anxiety into Christine's performance. Yet despite his presence increasing Christine's nervousness now, he later serves as her inspiration to sing during the 'fake engagement' period.

{said one of Carlotta's friends in the stalls, almost aloud. "The other day she was divine; and to-night she's simply bleating. She has no experience, no training."}

No training as in she doesn't have the stamina to perform at a consistent quality in even a minor role day after day? Or is this just a mindless insult?

{The viscount put his head under his hands and wept. The count, behind him, viciously gnawed his mustache, shrugged his shoulders and frowned. For him, usually so cold and correct, to betray his inner feelings like that, by outward signs, the count must be very angry.}

How does one viciously gnaw a mustache? Especially when it's on one's own face?

Also tag yourself: when listening to a terrible music performance, are you the sibling who angrily gnaws your mustache, or the one who unabashedly bursts into tears?

(I'm the latter, definetely.)

{He had seen his brother return from a rapid and mysterious journey in an alarming state of health. The explanation that followed was unsatisfactory and the count asked Christine Daae for an appointment. She had the audacity to reply that she could not see either him or his brother.}

*whispers* one more shred of evidence for the 'Philippe has a little bit of a celebrity crush on Christine' theory

Philippe: my brother's acting weird- what's up opera girl?
Christine: I'm sorry, I can't answer that.
Philippe: Well, can we meet in person then?
Christine: Nope.
Philippe: I don't think you understand- I am the COMTE DE CHAGNY!!
Christine: And I'm being tutored by the Angel of Music.
Philippe: *snarkily* Well, I'm sure he'd be fine with you receiving such illustrious visitors. If not me, then perhaps my brother.. ?
Christine: Yeah, I asked the Angel. He said no.
Philippe: *quiet fuming*

Current Mood: cold

As I poked my head out of a large pile of academic writing, I wondered what I should do for a break. "Oh, I know!" I said. "More writing!"

But seriously, I'm having a blast writing these, and in the past day or so I've gotten so many nice & funny comments! Thank you to everyone who's commented, and I'm glad you're enjoying this! (Next book will be Pride and Prejudice- yay! But we're only on chapter 7 of Phantom so unless I decide to start it early and have it running concurrently, it could be a while.)

{The first act passed without incident, which did not surprise Carlotta's friends, because Margarita does not sing in this act.}

WAITWAITWAIT- did I miss something earlier? I thought these were just a cadre of devoted fans and underlings, not genuine FRIENDS. Who are they? What are they like? How do they put up with Carlotta??

{"I did ... My concierge had never been to the Opera—this is, the first time—and, as she is now going to come every night, I wanted her to have a good seat, before spending her time showing other people to theirs."}

REDSHIRT ALERT REDSHIRT ALERT- not literally, though, since this lady is described as being dressed in black. Also as "a rather vulgar woman", which is... not very nice even though I'm not entirely sure what that's supposed to indicate. Is it because she's fat? (That would be terribly offensive, if so.) Because she's 'uncultured' and has never attended the opera before? (That's slightly better, but still- vulgar?) Is there some cultural thing I'm just not getting here?

{The ghost! Moncharmin had almost forgotten him.}

You're probably the only one who has, Moncharmin, since the novel is NAMED AFTER HIM.

{"It seems there's a plot got up by Christine Daae's friends against Carlotta. Carlotta's furious."

"What on earth ... ?" said Richard, knitting his brows.

But the curtain rose on the kermess scene and Richard made a sign to the stage-manager to go away. When the two were alone again, Moncharmin leaned over to Richard:

"Then Daae has friends?" he asked.}

And the ever-polite Moncharmin wonders aloud how Christine Daae could have any friends at all, given that she's a delusional weirdo loner.

{"The Comte de Chagny?"

"Yes, he spoke to me in her favor with such warmth that, if I had not known him to be Sorelli's friend ..."}

Ah, yes, Sorelli's 'friend' who definitely doesn't sneak off after performances to have romantic rendezvouses. That friend.

It's interesting that *Philippe* is the one speaking highly of Christine here, even though we don't know if they've ever interacted directly in the course of the novel. Does someone have a celebrity crush, or is he just helping out an old friend of his brother's?

{"That's his brother, the viscount."

"He ought to be in his bed. He looks ill."}

Raoul, sweetie, go get some rest. Christine will be waiting for you afterward.

{Siebel made her entrance. Christine Daae looked charming in her boy's clothes; and Carlotta's partisans expected to hear her greeted with an ovation which would have enlightened them as to the intentions of her friends. But nothing happened.}

Ohhkayy.. Well, I guess if Christine really needed to go into hiding, she could just disguise herself as a boy? Meanwhile, Carlotta's fans have revised their opinion and realize that Christine is a friendless loser after all.

{Some, who seemed to be better informed than the rest, declared that the "row" would begin with the ballad of the KING OF THULE and rushed to the subscribers' entrance to warn Carlotta.}

The opera audience: fight fight fight fight

Also, interesting tidbit- the King of Thule is a poem originally written in German by Goethe and set to music by many composers (so idk which music is intended here). It's about a king (duh) who was given a golden goblet by his dying mistress which becomes his most prized possession. He won't drink out of anything else, even when he's dying. One day, he finishes drinking from it and decides, for whatever reason, to throw it into the sea. He watches it sink and fill up with seawater AND THEN... he dies. the end.

(Summary might not be entirely accurate as my only source of research was Wikipedia. I issue a formal apology to all my English teachers.)

Current Mood: accomplished

{added Moncharmin. "We shall have the whole press against us! He'll tell the story of the ghost; and everybody will be laughing at our expense! We may as well be dead as ridiculous!"}

Mssr. Moncharmin appears to have a similar outlook to Hermione Granger's "We could be killed- or worse, expelled!"

{About the same time, Carlotta, who had a small house of her own in the Rue du Faubourg St. Honore, rang for her maid, who brought her letters to her bed. Among them was an anonymous missive, written in red ink, in a hesitating, clumsy hand, which ran:

If you appear to-night, you must be prepared for a great misfortune at the moment when you open your mouth to sing ... a misfortune worse than death.

The letter took away Carlotta's appetite for breakfast. She pushed back her chocolate, sat up in bed and thought hard. It was not the first letter of the kind which she had received, but she never had one couched in such threatening terms.}

The Phantom has messy handwriting- this probably offends Carlotta just as much as the threats. I imagine her having very flowing, elegant handwriting. She also has chocolate for breakfast! Good call. And is not threatened by hate mail! Good for her.

{The truth is that, if there was a cabal, it was led by Carlotta herself against poor Christine, who had no suspicion of it. Carlotta had never forgiven Christine for the triumph which she had achieved when taking her place at a moment's notice. When Carlotta heard of the astounding reception bestowed upon her understudy, she was at once cured of an incipient attack of bronchitis and a bad fit of sulking against the management and lost the slightest inclination to shirk her duties. From that time, she worked with all her might to "smother" her rival, enlisting the services of influential friends to persuade the managers not to give Christine an opportunity for a fresh triumph. ... Lastly, in the theater itself, the celebrated, but heartless and soulless diva made the most scandalous remarks about Christine and tried to cause her endless minor unpleasantnesses.}

That's seriously not cool, Carlotta. Faking sick (I assume?) then sulking because your replacement is *actually* good? And even if she thinks Christine is the Phantom, or else currying favor with the vicomte in order to supplant Carlotta, the extent she goes to ruin Christine's career is not okay. Yet I hesitate to agree with Leroux that she is a 'heartless and soulless diva'. (Especially since I love the headcanon that Carlotta was Erik's former pupil who cared more about securing her fame and becoming technically perfect in her singing than Erik and showing emotions in song.) Flawed, vindictive, and tempermental? Yes. A bully? Yes. A heartless monster? No, especially not when compared to Erik, who might be monstorous but is decidedly not heartless.

{The first thing she saw, when looking out of her window, was a hearse. She was very superstitious; and the hearse and the letter convinced her that she was running the most serious dangers that evening.}

Sorelli is also superstitious, isn't she? I wonder if the two of them get along, or can't stand each other. At least Sorelli cares for her underlings, while Carlotta seems to only care that she *has* them.

{The famous baritone, Carolus Fonta, had hardly finished Doctor Faust's first appeal to the powers of darkness, when M. Firmin Richard, who was sitting in the ghost's own chair, the front chair on the right, leaned over to his partner and asked him chaffingly:

"Well, has the ghost whispered a word in your ear yet?"}

The managers are snarky, as usual.

But the existence of this minor character, famous baritone Carolus Fonta, just makes me wonder why ALW felt the need to invent Piangi for the musical. Why not just keep the name Carolus, change him to a tenor (I think Piangi is a tenor?), and add that he has a thing for Carlotta? He's already, at least from our short look at him, got a soft spot for Christine, so you wouldn't even need to add that. Why Piangi, not Carolus?

Current Mood: busy

I'm skipping chapter 6, since it's very short and I legitimately could not think of anything to say about it. For the curious, the chapter is basically the managers trying to figure out what's going on in Box Five while the Phantom scares them by somehow creating an illusion of statues laughing at them. Also, the managers resolve to sit in Box Five for the next performance of Faust. There was also some slight wordplay with Pandora's box and Box Five, which I highly approve of.

{"He has the chief management of the stable."

"What stable?"

"Why, yours, sir, the stable of the Opera."

"Is there a stable at the Opera? Upon my word, I didn't know. Where is it?"

"In the cellars, on the Rotunda side. It's a very important department; we have twelve horses."}

The new managers have been in charge for HOW LONG and they don't know about an important department and the at least 6 employees that work there??? Also why are horses such a necessary feature in operas that they need TWELVE of them?? Are there just a lot of horse-heavy operas in 19th century France that I just don't know about?

{"These are 'places,'" Mercier interposed, "created and forced upon us by the under-secretary for fine arts. They are filled by protegees of the government and, if I may venture to ..."}

So the GOVERNMENT did this? I'm just picturing government officials saying "Do you know what the opera house needs? HORSES!! At least TWELVE of them! And they need, of course, six stablehands to care for them!" "Simply genius! I shall implement this right away!"

{"Has Cesar been stolen?" cried the acting-manager. "Cesar, the white horse in the Profeta?"

"There are not two Cesars," said the stud-groom dryly. "I was ten years at Franconi's and I have seen plenty of horses in my time. Well, there are not two Cesars. And he's been stolen."}

I know the Phantom didn't leave a note, since there's such a mystery around this, but what if he *did*? Like this:

Dear stablehands,

Henceforth, Cesar is now MY little pony. Make no attempt to see him again.

xoxo the Opera Ghost

Current Mood: tired

{"Yes, the other evening, it was he who was talking when you were listening behind the door. It was he who said, 'You must love me.' But I then thought that I was the only one to hear his voice. Imagine my astonishment when you told me, this morning, that you could hear him too."

Raoul burst out laughing. The first rays of the moon came and shrouded the two young people in their light. Christine turned on Raoul with a hostile air. Her eyes, usually so gentle, flashed fire.

"What are you laughing at? YOU think you heard a man's voice, I suppose?"

"It's you, Raoul, who say that? You, an old playfellow of my own! A friend of my father's! But you have changed since those days. What are you thinking of? I am an honest girl, M. le Vicomte de Chagny, and I don't lock myself up in my dressing-room with men's voices. If you had opened the door, you would have seen that there was nobody in the room!"}

Christine: So I hear this voice in my dressing room- it's the Angel of Music from my father's stories! He is only heard by those who are destined to achieve musical greatness!

Raoul, who is only a decent singer at best: But *I* heard the voice! So it wasn't the Angel lol

Christine: So you think there was a MAN in my dressing room??? How dare you! I am an entirely proper lady and would *never* do something so SCANDELOUS!!

Raoul: ...welp guess I'm alienating my crush then

{The first floor of the Setting Sun was at no great height and a tree growing against the wall held out its branches to Raoul's impatient arms and enabled him to climb down unknown to the landlady.}

So Raoul just casually climbs out the window and down a tree AT NIGHT in order to follow Christine?? Is his inner monologue at this point just 'what would Philippe tell me NOT to do because it would shame the family name? ok, I'm doing that. all for Christine, of course.'??

{Her amazement, therefore, was all the greater when, the next morning, the young man was brought back to her half frozen, more dead than alive, and when she learned that he had been found stretched at full length on the steps of the high altar of the little church.}

And after doing this ridiculously impulsive thing he falls asleep waiting outside the church and nearly FREEZES TO DEATH?? That poor landlady- she has no idea what she's gotten herself into.

{Q. "In what condition of mind were you?"

R. "Very healthy and peaceful, I assure you.}

Does a healthy and peaceful person climb out of bed, out a window, and down a tree IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT in order to follow his crush and see what she's doing???

{She knelt down by her father's grave, made the sign of the cross and began to pray. At that moment, it struck midnight. At the last stroke, I saw Mlle. Daae life{sic} her eyes to the sky and stretch out her arms as though in ecstasy. I was wondering what the reason could be, when I myself raised my head and everything within me seemed drawn toward the invisible, WHICH WAS PLAYING THE MOST PERFECT MUSIC! Christine and I knew that music; we had heard it as children. But it had never been executed with such divine art, even by M. Daae. I remembered all that Christine had told me of the Angel of Music.}

So the Phantom does get out of the Opera House sometimes! (Wouldn't it be awkward if he was staying in the same boardinghouse? The landlady is like 'so what guests do I have today? a pious girl coming to visit her father's grave, a vicomte who vehemently denies that he's following the girl so much that it must be what he's doing- oh, and that weird masked guy with the violin who keeps muttering about an angel of music!)

{"First a skull rolled to my feet ... then another ... then another ... It was as if I were the mark of that ghastly game of bowls. ... But I was quicker than the shadow and caught hold of a corner of its cloak. At that moment, we were just in front of the high altar; and the moonbeams fell straight upon us through the stained-glass windows of the apse. As I did not let go of the cloak, the shadow turned round; and I saw a terrible death's head, which darted a look at me from a pair of scorching eyes. I felt as if I were face to face with Satan; and, in the presence of this unearthly apparition, my heart gave way, my courage failed me ... and I remember nothing more until I recovered consciousness at the Setting Sun."}

So was Erik just aggressively rolling skulls at Raoul to try & scare him off in what sounds like the world's weirdest game of bowling?? And then decides 'well, if skulls won't scare you away, what about MY TERRIFYING FACE??? oops he fainted- back to the Opera House!'

Current Mood: indifferent

Finally out of flashback-land!

{"You don't answer!" he said angrily and unhappily. "Well, I will answer for you. It was because there was some one in the room who was in your way, Christine, some one that you did not wish to know that you could be interested in any one else!"

"If any one was in my way, my friend," Christine broke in coldly, "if any one was in my way, that evening, it was yourself, since I told you to leave the room!"}

GOOD POINT, CHRISTINE!

{"Then you were listening behind the door?"

"Yes, because I love you everything ... And I heard everything ..."}

Loving someone does not give you an excuse to spy on them and monitor their every conversation. (Sorry, just the 'I need to monitor everything you say because I love you' just hits a little too close to home for me.)

{"Christine!"

"Raoul!"}

Erik! (Oh, wait- he's not here yet.)

{He was terribly concerned and bitterly grieved to see the hours, which he had hoped to find so sweet, slip past without the presence of the young Swedish girl. Why did she not come to roam with him through the country where they had so many memories in common?}

Maybe she just needs some alone time? Maybe grief is a mostly private thing that she doesn't want to share with you, even though she recognizes that you miss him too? Just respect her wishes and try not to be overdramatic and read too much into it.

{They were marvelous red roses that had blossomed in the morning, in the snow, giving a glimpse of life among the dead, for death was all around him. It also, like the flowers, issued from the ground, which had flung back a number of its corpses. Skeletons and skulls by the hundred were heaped against the wall of the church, held in position by a wire that left the whole gruesome stack visible. Dead men's bones, arranged in rows, like bricks, to form the first course upon which the walls of the sacristy had been built. }

What a haunting mental image. Flowers and death are often intertwined, but the juxtaposition of flowers and long-dead bones is uncomfortable and wrong here, yet is the foundation on which this location is built. (And the presence of skulls reminds me of a certain death's dead who will appear momentarily.)

{A voice behind him said:

"Do you think the Korrigans will come this evening?"

It was Christine. He tried to speak. She put her gloved hand on his mouth.}

Oh. Now the tables have turned, and it is Christine who initiates contact with Raoul, and Christine who deliberately recalls elements of their childhood friendship. She mirrors his introduction in order to appeal for reconciliation, perhaps? (Also who would let children play and watch for mythical creatures in an area adjacent to a graveyard? Surely that is not the only place to glimpse the sea in Perros.)

{"And it was here that he said, 'When I am in Heaven, my child, I will send him to you.' Well, Raoul, my father is in Heaven, and I have been visited by the Angel of Music."

"I have no doubt of it," replied the young man gravely, for it seemed to him that his friend, in obedience to a pious thought, was connecting the memory of her father with the brilliancy of her last triumph.}

And Raoul tries to put two and two together. His current theory is good, considering what little information he has to go on. She was recently a success, and her deceased father promised to send her a means to achieve musical greatness, so since she achieved musical greatness she naturally attributes it to her father and his stories, because to do so otherwise would be dishonoring his memory.

{"I understand," he said, "that no human being can sing as you sang the other evening without the intervention of some miracle. No professor on earth can teach you such accents as those. You have heard the Angel of Music, Christine."}

Trying to interpret Raoul's tone here. We can reasonably assume that he does not believe the angel actually visited Christine, since his previous thoughts showed that he believes Christine only equates her recent triumph with her father's memory because of her 'obedience to a pious thought' (believing that her father sent the angel to bring her musical genius). Is he going 'yeah, I remember that story too! I can see why you would *metaphorically* associate that with your current musical talent, and I think you are as talented as anyone in those stories who was visited by the angel, and your voice has an unearthly natural beauty to it'?

{"Yes," she said solemnly, "IN MY DRESSING-ROOM. That is where he comes to give me my lessons daily."

"In your dressing-room?" he echoed stupidly.}

WHAT A SCANDAL, MISS DAAE. (Also Raoul's great surprise shows he was referring to the story to pay Christine a compliment, not out of genuine belief. If he was speaking literally, his surprise might be due to the fact that the angel visits her daily, when the story only mentions the angel appearing once in a person's lifetime.)

Current Mood: bored

{His wife died when Christine was entering upon her sixth year.}

And this is all that's mentioned about Mama Daae... I'm disappointed. What was her name? Was she musically inclined? Did she play an instrument or sing? Did she fall in love with Father Daae because of his enchanting music, or was it something he began after he met her? Does Christine have any memories of her?

{When Valerius and his wife went to settle in France, they took Daae and Christine with them. "Mamma" Valerius treated Christine as her daughter. As for Daae, he began to pine away with homesickness. He never went out of doors in Paris, but lived in a sort of dream which he kept up with his violin. For hours at a time, he remained locked up in his bedroom with his daughter, fiddling and singing, very, very softly. Sometimes Mamma Valerius would come and listen behind the door, wipe away a tear and go down-stairs again on tiptoe, sighing for her Scandinavian skies.}

Ohhh this is sad. Nobody sings very very softly if they're happy with life and themselves. This also makes me wonder how much of a say Daddy Daae actually had in their move to Paris, given that at this point he's financially destitute and dependent on a wealthy patron. I could easily see him being swayed by the Valerius' desire to give Christine a good education (Christine, whose wellbeing now entirely depends on Professor Valerius- and what is he a professor of? something music-related, I'd assume) despite his own misgivings about leaving Sweden for an unknown future in a foreign country totally depending on someone else's generosity.

{One day, a little boy, who was out with his governess, made her take a longer walk than he intended, for he could not tear himself from the little girl whose pure, sweet voice seemed to bind him to her.}

This reminds me of the ALW lyric "he was bound to love you/when he heard you sing", and that the Phantom isn't the only one who was initially drawn to Christine by her voice.

{And she saw a little boy running fast, in spite of the outcries and the indignant protests of a worthy lady in black. The little boy ran into the sea, dressed as he was, and brought her back her scarf. Boy and scarf were both soaked through.}

Raoul is totally a Gryffindor. (And, for anyone else interested, my other headcanons are Ravenclaw!Christine , Gryffindor!Carlotta, Hufflepuff!Piangi, Slytherin!Philippe, and *whispers* Ravenclaw or maaaybe Hufflepuff Erik.)

{At the aunt's request, seconded by Professor Valerius, Daae consented to give the young viscount some violin lessons. In this way, Raoul learned to love the same airs that had charmed Christine's childhood. They also both had the same calm and dreamy little cast of mind.}

Ohhh AU where Raoul is a violin genius and pursues it despite Philippe's protests, becomes a notable violinist and ends up playing for the Paris Opera House, where he finds Christine again. She's still being tutored by the "Angel of Music" who freaks out when he hears Christine has an admirer, but once he listens to Raoul play, he's touched and realizes that Raoul, Christine, and himself all have the same deep love of music. He offers to tutor Raoul (who goes and asks Christine 'why are the walls offering to teach me?' 'oh, that's the Angel of Music, he's legit') who accepts. Thus begins Erik's attempts to AGGRESIVELY MATCHMAKE Raoul and Christine together through ghostly shipper shenanigans. And everything is happy and nothing hurts, until you remember that canon exists.

BACK TO THE BOOK

{There was one story that began:

"A king sat in a little boat on one of those deep, still lakes that open like a bright eye in the midst of the Norwegian mountains ..."}

Is this something Leroux made up, or a story that actually exists somewhere? If it is the latter, I require a link posthaste.

{They were quite changed, cautious as two diplomatists, and told each other things that had nothing to do with their budding sentiments. When they took leave of each other by the roadside, Raoul, pressing a kiss on Christine's trembling hand, said:

"Mademoiselle, I shall never forget you!"

And he went away regretting his words, for he knew that Christine could not be the wife of the Vicomte de Chagny.}

Honestly, there needs to be way more emphasis on the forbidden love inherent in the nature of R/C, especially since Raoul is often seen as the more 'socially acceptable' choice of the two. In comparison to the Phantom? Maaaybe, (he's certainly the more stable one) but it would still ruin his reputation. In society's view? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Neither of them are socially acceptable husbands for Christine in the eyes of society at the time: one is overtly monstrous, the other on a pedestal of status Miss Daae shouldn't dare to aspire to (or else be considered a golddigger who needs to 'learn her place').

Current Mood: amused

And we've reached the Enchanted Violin! Yay!

{Christine Daae, owing to intrigues to which I will return later, did not immediately continue her triumph at the Opera. After the famous gala night, she sang once at the Duchess de Zurich's; but this was the last occasion on which she was heard in private. She refused, without plausible excuse, to appear at a charity concert to which she had promised her assistance. She acted throughout as though she were no longer the mistress of her own destiny and as though she feared a fresh triumph.}

Is this because of her last exchange with 'the Angel', or is she just now realizing that she's afraid of being in the spotlight on her own, and the consequences of being a star? Is she afraid that despite her Angel's wishes, she'll become corrupted by the fame and turn into another Carlotta? (Possibly reaching a bit there, but I do love Carlotta/Christine parallels and AUs where Carlotta was also Erik's formal pupil.)

{Some pretended that it was due to overweening pride; others spoke of her heavenly modesty. But people on the stage are not so modest as all that; and I think that I shall not be far from the truth if I ascribe her action simply to fear. Yes, I believe that Christine Daae was frightened by what had happened to her. }

Okaayyy, I guess we'll just leave it as ambiguous fear then? (I'm not satisfied by that explanation, unless it's implying that Christine has an anxiety disorder, which, as a person with GAD myself, is a headcanon I can get behind.)

{"I don't know myself when I sing,"}

I know this is supposed to be because her voice has undergone so much of a transformation due to "the Angel" (perhaps she feels like her voice is more a reflection of him than an expression of herself? "I [Christine] am the mask you wear/It's me [the Phantom] they hear" indeed?), but this seems like she's dissociating when she performs to me. Maybe because of the association of singing with her father is causing her to recall those memories, and she feels as if she's stuck in the past and merely viewing herself sing with a strange, new voice? Feeling distant from everything, herself and her actions especially? (Oooh, this could be what Meg is noticing about Christine acting weird in 'Angel of Music' in the ALW musical.)

{To-morrow is the anniversary of the death of my poor father, whom you knew and who was very fond of you. He is buried there, with his violin, in the graveyard of the little church, at the bottom of the slope where we used to play as children, beside the road where, when we were a little bigger, we said good-by for the last time.}

Ohhh... Now I want to see Father Daae interacting with bby!Raoul, being the father figure he never had, the paternal influence that Philippe could not be no matter how hard he tried. Also just imagine Christine in years past going to visit her father's grave near the place where she said farewell to Raoul, and mourning the two key figures of her childhood: father and friend, both of whom she thinks she'll never see again.

{He read Christine's note over and over again, smelling its perfume, recalling the sweet pictures of his childhood, and spent the rest of that tedious night journey in feverish dreams that began and ended with Christine Daae.}

Looks like someone has a crush, and his name rhymes with- nevermind, I couldn't think of anything that rhymes with Raoul de Chagny. Maybe THAT's why he doesn't have a solo song in ALW. (I can picture it now- "Oh Raoul"/"He's such a.. pal?")

Tune in next time where we explore the tangental infodump that is Christine's backstory!

Current Mood: awake

{ The moment they entered the 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 one there, is there?' 'No,' said the woman. 'Well,' said they, 'when we went in, we heard a voice saying THAT THE BOX WAS TAKEN!'"}

Oh, the lengths Erik goes to in order to protect his unassigned assigned seat.

{He looked at Mme. Giry, in her faded shawl, her worn shoes, her 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. Giry, nor even little Giry, nor even "little Meg!" But Mme. Giry's pride was so great that the celebrated box-keeper imagined that everybody knew her.}

Awww... As much as I prefer the ALW musical's ballet mistress Madame Giry, this proud mama Giry moment just warms my heart.

{Mme. Giry opened her eyes with astonishment at such ignorance. However, she consented to enlighten those two poor innocents.}

^ ALW Madame Giry every time she opens her mouth.

{"Still, that doesn't let us know how the Opera ghost came to ask you for a footstool,"}

Which is very important information to know, obviously. Who can say what dastardly deeds one might need a footstool for, especially if one is a sinister Opera Ghost? (Also, Erik, since you're so good at avoiding detection why can't you fetch your own footstool instead of bothering sweet old Mme. Giry?)

{"Tut, tut! A ghost asking for a footstool! Then this ghost of yours is a woman?"}

I am very confused at how needing a footstool automatically equals the Ghost being female... I also REALLY want an AU where the Phantom is actually an elaborate scheme devised by Madame Giry.

{"Well, I brought the footstool. Of course, it wasn't for himself he wanted it, but for his lady! But I never heard her nor saw her."

"Eh? What? So now the ghost is married!"}

AGAIN with the footstool = female thing! Is there some historical context I'm missing here?

{"excuse me, how does the ghost manage to give you your two francs?"

"Why, he leaves them on the little shelf in the box, of course. I find them with the program, which I always give him. Some evenings, I find flowers in the box, a rose that must have dropped from his lady's bodice ... for he brings a lady with him sometimes; one day, they left a fan behind them."}

Ah, yes, because even a murderer like Erik is still decent enough to tip the people serving him. (also of note, Madame Giry's late husband's name was Jules.)

Does this mean Christine came with him to performances sometimes (seems unlikely to me given the current state of their relationship and that she IS a performer there and would presumably be participating in those shows), or just that Erik likes to carry around flowers, has a fan for some reason, and prefers to use a footstool and Mme. Giry assumes he has a lady friend because those things are somehow traditionally feminine??

Current Mood: blah

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