zellephantom

Sorry about that unintentional hiatus- I got busy with classes, had some mental health stuff come up, was watching other Phantom adaptations instead of this, aand oh yeah! I got my hands on the Coward translation, so I've been reading that instead and wow, does de Mattos cut things out. It does have some weird quirks, like making Madame Giry cockney, translating Carlotta's croak as 'skaark', and according to fdelopera's blog (found here: https://fdelopera.tumblr.com/phantom-translations ) the annotations are supposedly not very good, but I don't know enough about the historical context to speak about that.

But since de Mattos is the only one in the public domain, I must make do with that in order to go as in depth as I'd like.

{"I beg your pardon. The envelope which M. le Directeur gave me was the one which I slipped into M. le Directeur's pocket," explained Mme. Giry. "The one which I took to the ghost's box was another envelope, just like it, which the ghost gave me beforehand and which I hid up my sleeve."

So saying, Mme. Giry took from her sleeve an envelope ready prepared and similarly addressed to that containing the twenty-thousand francs. The managers took it from her. They examined it and saw that it was fastened with seals stamped with their own managerial seal. They opened it. It contained twenty Bank of St. Farce notes like those which had so much astounded them the month before.

"How simple!" said Richard.

"How simple!" repeated Moncharmin. And he continued with his eyes fixed upon Mme. Giry, as though trying to hypnotize her.}

One might say Erik has many tricks up his sleeve... and also Madame Giry's sleeve, apparently XD

{"Then would you mind giving us a specimen of your little talents? Here is the envelope. Act as though we knew nothing."

"As you please, gentlemen."

Mme. Giry took the envelope with the twenty notes inside it and made for the door. She was on the point of going out when the two managers rushed at her:

"Oh, no! Oh, no! We're not going to be 'done' a second time! Once bitten, twice shy!"

"I beg your pardon, gentlemen," said the old woman, in self-excuse, "you told me to act as though you knew nothing ... Well, if you knew nothing, I should go away with your envelope!"}

Poor Madame Giry- she's just trying to do what they asked her!

{"I am to slip it into your pocket when you least expect it, sir. You know that I always take a little turn behind the scenes, in the course of the evening, and I often go with my daughter to the ballet-foyer, which I am entitled to do, as her mother; I bring her her shoes, when the ballet is about to begin ... in fact, I come and go as I please ... The subscribers come and go too... So do you, sir ... There are lots of people about ... I go behind you and slip the envelope into the tail-pocket of your dress-coat ... There's no witchcraft about that!"

"No witchcraft!" growled Richard, rolling his eyes like Jupiter Tonans. "No witchcraft! Why, I've just caught you in a lie, you old witch!"}

She's right- it is just sleight of hand. But the managers seem determined to be upset with her. I don't get why the Jupiter Tonans epithet is specifically referenced here instead of just Jupiter, and reading the Wikipedia article doesn't provide much enlightenment. Is it just supposed to mean his voice is thundering? What about the rolling eyes thing?

{"Yes, that's true, I remember now! The under-secretary went behind the scenes. He asked for me. I went down to the ballet-foyer for a moment. I was on the foyer steps ... The under-secretary and his chief clerk were in the foyer itself. I suddenly turned around ... you had passed behind me, Mme. Giry ... You seemed to push against me ... Oh, I can see you still, I can see you still!"}

Of course you can see her still- she's right in front of you! (Yes, I know he's referring to the memory of her bumping into him, but the wording just struck me as funny.)

{"Yes, that's it, sir, that's it. I had just finished my little business. That pocket of yours, sir, is very handy!"}

I was going to make a joke about modern women's clothing not having adequate pockets, but then I remembered that Madame Giry most likely would have had adequate pockets given the time period.

{Mme. Giry passed, rubbed up against M. Richard, got rid of her twenty-thousand francs in the manager's coat-tail pocket and disappeared ... Or rather she was conjured away. In accordance with the instructions received from Moncharmin a few minutes earlier, Mercier took the good lady to the acting-manager's office and turned the key on her, thus making it impossible for her to communicate with her ghost.}

Conjured away? Are they implying that the Phantom had something to do with her disappearance, or just that (since she has practice) she's good at slipping away and blending into a crowd?

I get why they had to lock her in FOR SCIENCE, but I still feel bad for her, stuck in an office until the managers decide they've figured out what happened. Also if they really think there's a real ghost, aren't they aware that ghosts are known for walking through walls? And if they think it's just a weird guy, why would they not also assume that said guy might also know how to pick locks in order to further his Phantom-y deeds??

{Meanwhile, M. Richard was bending and bowing and scraping and walking backward, just as if he had that high and mighty minister, the under-secretary for fine arts, before him. Only, though these marks of politeness would have created no astonishment if the under-secretary of state had really been in front of M. Richard, they caused an easily comprehensible amazement to the spectators of this very natural but quite inexplicable scene when M. Richard had no body in front of him.

M. Richard bowed ... to nobody; bent his back ... before nobody; and walked backward ... before nobody ... And, a few steps behind him, M. Moncharmin did the same thing that he was doing in addition to pushing away M. Remy and begging M. de La Borderie, the ambassador, and the manager of the Credit Central "not to touch M. le Directeur."}

Aaaand they're losing their minds... Wonderful.

{"Perhaps it was the ambassador ... or the manager of the Credit Central ... or Remy."}

Not Remy, the rat who learned how to cook! It couldn't possibly be him! Just taste his ratatouille- could a guilty rat make something that good?? (It would be funny if secretary Remy was only good at his job because there was a rat inside his hat controlling him, though.)

{"I am sure that nobody has touched me ... You had now better keep at some distance from me and watch me till I come to door of the office: it is better not to arouse suspicion and we can see anything that happens."}

If you're trying not to arouse suspicion, you're doing a terrible job of it.

{"But, in that case," exclaimed Richard, "they will never steal our twenty-thousand francs!"

"I should hope not, indeed!" declared Moncharmin.

"Then what we are doing is absurd!"}

Finally, a moment of self-awareness... XD Makes me think of "This is ridiculous, what am I doing here, I'm in the wrong story!" from Into the Woods.

{"Look here, I'm thinking of this, I'M THINKING OF WHAT I MIGHT THINK if, like last time, after my spending the evening alone with you, you brought me home and if, at the moment of parting, I perceived that twenty-thousand francs had disappeared from my coat-pocket ... like last time."

"And what might you think?" asked Moncharmin, crimson with rage.

"I might think that, as you hadn't left me by a foot's breadth and as, by your own wish, you were the only one to approach me, like last time, I might think that, if that twenty-thousand francs was no longer in my pocket, it stood a very good chance of being in yours!"}

I'm thinking that I might think that this is an entirely unproductive endeavor, and a business partnership like theirs should really be based on trust.

{And that was the moment when Moncharmin opened the door on the passage and shouted:

"A safety-pin! ... somebody give me a safety-pin!"

And we also know how, at the same moment, Remy, who had no safety-pin, was received by Moncharmin, while a boy procured the pin so eagerly longed for. And what happened was this: Moncharmin first locked the door again. Then he knelt down behind Richard's back.}

Moncharmin, you realize that people are going to think something embarrassing happened to one of you, don't you?

{"A little patience, Richard," said Moncharmin. "We have only a few minutes to wait ... The clock will soon strike twelve. Last time, we left at the last stroke of twelve."}

Just remember to take both of your shoes with you when you leave and thank your fairy godmother for the opportunity!

Current Mood: blank
Current Location: On the Steps of the Palace
Current Music: Ten Minutes Ago

Merry Christmas (or whatever else you celebrate!)- here's some Phantom Thoughts as my gift to you, whether you like it or not!

I'm skipping over some parts a bit, as there's not really much I can think of to say about them.

{The woman laughed, screamed with laughter! Raoul darted away, roaring with anger, ran up-stairs, four stairs at a time, down-stairs, rushed through the whole of the business side of the opera-house, found himself once more in the light of the stage.}

I'd start a tally for 'how many times Raoul has been openly laughed at in this novel', but I think it would just be depressing... (Plot twist- he's actually gone this whole book wearing a red clown nose or an equally humorous accessory and everyone has noticed it except for him, so no one can take him seriously.)

{At the same moment the stage buzzed with a new sound and, amid a crowd of men in evening-dress, all talking and gesticulating together, appeared a man who seemed very calm and displayed a pleasant face, all pink and chubby-cheeked, crowned with curly hair and lit up by a pair of wonderfully serene blue eyes. Mercier, the acting-manager, called the Vicomte de Chagny's attention to him and said:}

I know this is supposed to be a man, but the way he's described just sounds like someone talking about a baby. 'Oh, he's so calm and pleasant- and just look at those chubby pink cheeks!'

{Raoul was the last to enter. As he was about to follow the rest into the room, a hand was laid on his shoulder and he heard these words spoken in his ear:

"ERIK'S SECRETS CONCERN NO ONE BUT HIMSELF!"

He turned around, with a stifled exclamation. The hand that was laid on his shoulder was now placed on the lips of a person with an ebony skin, with eyes of jade and with an astrakhan cap on his head: the Persian! The stranger kept up the gesture that recommended discretion and then, at the moment when the astonished viscount was about to ask the reason of his mysterious intervention, bowed and disappeared.}

The Persian! Oh, it's so great to see him again (and we'll be seeing a lot more of him soon enough)! But if he was trying to communicate with Raoul subtly and quietly, HE MIGHT'VE CONSIDERED NOT SPEAKING LOUD ENOUGH TO BE RENDERED IN ALL CAPS.

{One morning, the managers found on their table an envelope addressed to "Monsieur O. G. (private)" and accompanied by a note from O. G. himself:

The time has come to carry out the clause in the memorandum-book. Please put twenty notes of a thousand francs each into this envelope, seal it with your own seal and hand it to Mme. Giry, who will do what is necessary.}

Would that amount of bills even fit into a single envelope? (Maybe I'm just not used to handling large amounts of money...)

Also, I don't really get why usually the managers (or sometimes the narrative itself) keep interchangeably calling Madame Giry either Madame Giry or Mother Giry. Madame I get, but isn't Mother a bit strange and superfluous, as everyone presumably knows her as Little Meg Giry's mom? Nobody goes around calling my mom Mother Phantom (and not just because it's not my actual last name)!

{At first sight, Richard and Moncharmin thought that the notes were still there; but soon they perceived that they were not the same. The twenty real notes were gone and had been replaced by twenty notes, of the "Bank of St. Farce"!}

Is this implying that Erik took the time to draw up some fake bank notes just for a prank? I guess he can't spend all his time working on Don Juan Triumphant or pining for Christine...

{"Don't let us make ourselves ridiculous! All Paris would laugh at us. O. G. has won the first game: we will win the second."

He was thinking of the next month's allowance.}

Let's see, Timmy gets a quarter in allowance for making his bed every day, Wendy gets a dollar for washing the dog, aaaand O.G. gets twenty thousand francs for being the best opera ghost and making a general nuisance of himself!

{Nevertheless, they had been so absolutely tricked that they were bound to suffer a certain dejection. And, upon my word, it was not difficult to understand. We must not forget that the managers had an idea at the back of their minds, all the time, that this strange incident might be an unpleasant practical joke on the part of their predecessors and that it would not do to divulge it prematurely. On the other hand, Moncharmin was sometimes troubled with a suspicion of Richard himself, who occasionally took fanciful whims into his head.}

Flashback to that terrible attempt at a comedy song from the David Staller Phantom musical where the managers are growing increasingly suspicious of each other as the Phantom uses tricks to pit them against each other. (My vague recollection was that it was called something like 'Now Who's Running the Show'??)

{The next time fell on the same day that beheld the disappearance of Christine Daae. In the morning, a note from the ghost reminded them that the money was due. It read:

Do just as you did last time. It went very well. Put the twenty thousand in the envelope and hand it to our excellent Mme. Giry.}

Erik has learned the power of positive reinforcement in getting people to do what you want XD

{"And now," he said, "let's have Mother Giry in."

The old woman was sent for. She entered with a sweeping courtesy. She still wore her black taffeta dress, the color of which was rapidly turning to rust and lilac, to say nothing of the dingy bonnet. She seemed in a good temper. She at once said:}

Okay, how would a black dress fade to a *lilac* purple with age? I could see it fading to a darker purple like mulberry or plum, but the almost-lavender of lilac?

{"First of all, Mme. Giry, I have a little question to put to you."

"By all means, M. Richard: Mme. Giry is here to answer you."}

Did- did she just refer to herself in the third person? Are Erik's habits catching on?

{"Are you still on good terms with the ghost?"

"Couldn't be better, sir; couldn't be better."}

"After all, you tried to fire me, but *he* appreciates me enough to murder my replacement to get me reinstated!"

{"Oh, you, understand quite well. In any case, you've got to understand... And, first of all, tell us his name."

"Whose name?"

"The name of the man whose accomplice you are, Mme. Giry!"

"I am the ghost's accomplice? I? ... His accomplice in what, pray?"

"You do all he wants."

"Oh! He's not very troublesome, you know."}

Doing all he wants could generally be seen as being an accomplice to some degree, Madame Giry. And the sheer audacity to say Erik's not very troublesome- I think Carlotta would have a thing or two to say about that, not to mention Joseph Buquet, if he were still around to say anything!

{"How much does he give you for bringing him that envelope?"

"Ten francs."

"You poor thing! That's not much, is it?}

Yeah, he could at least give you enough to buy a nice new dress so you wouldn't have to keep wearing that one. Or, for that matter, the managers who are HER ACTUAL EMPLOYERS could pay her more, if they actually are as sympathetic as they say they are for her shabby state...

{"I'll tell you that presently, Mme. Giry. Just now we should like to know for what extraordinary reason you have given yourself body and soul, to this ghost ... Mme. Giry's friendship and devotion are not to be bought for five francs or ten francs."}

No, she needs at least twenty francs before she'll acknowledge you publicly as a friend! (At least she's not poor Meg in Love Never Dies, who actually gives herself over body and soul in a fruitless attempt at gaining Mr. Y's attention and love...)

{"But this is a matter that concerns myself alone ... Well, it was in Box Five one evening, I found a letter addressed to myself, a sort of note written in red ink. I needn't read the letter to you sir; I know it by heart, and I shall never forget it if I live to be a hundred!"}

And I very much hope you do, dear lady, or at least live long enough to see your daughter become a baroness!

{And Mme. Giry, drawing herself up, recited the letter with touching eloquence:

MADAM:

1825. Mlle. Menetrier, leader of the ballet, became Marquise de Cussy.

1832. Mlle. Marie Taglioni, a dancer, became Comtesse Gilbert des Voisins.

1846. La Sota, a dancer, married a brother of the King of Spain.

1847. Lola Montes, a dancer, became the morganatic wife of King Louis of Bavaria and was created Countess of Landsfeld.

1848. Mlle. Maria, a dancer, became Baronne d'Herneville.

1870. Theresa Hessier, a dancer, married Dom Fernando, brother to the King of Portugal.

Richard and Moncharmin listened to the old woman, who, as she proceeded with the enumeration of these glorious nuptials, swelled out, took courage and, at last, in a voice bursting with pride, flung out the last sentence of the prophetic letter:

1885. Meg Giry, Empress!}

I feel like context is important for understanding how the aforementioned women attained their high positions. Also, you think Erik would just go for 'Queen' or something- it's a little bit more attainable, I think, as Empress implies possessing an empire and I think there's probably more kingdoms than empires in the world.

{"You have never seen him; he speaks to you and you believe all he says?" asked Moncharmin.

"Yes. To begin with, I owe it to him that my little Meg was promoted to be the leader of a row. I said to the ghost, 'If she is to be empress in 1885, there is no time to lose; she must become a leader at once.' He said, 'Look upon it as done.' And he had only a word to say to M. Poligny and the thing was done."}

Because the leader would therefore stick out more and be more likely to attract the attention of a royal personage in the future?

(With both their levels of blind devotion to who, unbeknownst to them, is the same person, I'd almost think Madame Giry and Madame Valerius would get along well.)

{"I, sir? I? ... I swear ..."

"Don't swear, Mme. Giry! ... And now I will tell you the second reason why I sent for you. Mme. Giry, I am going to have you arrested."}

We like to keep things PG here, Madame Giry.

{"HAVE ME ARRESTED!"

The mouth that spoke those words seemed to spit the three teeth that were left to it into Richard's face.

M. Richard behaved like a hero. He retreated no farther. His threatening forefinger seemed already to be pointing out the keeper of Box Five to the absent magistrates.

"I am going to have you arrested, Mme. Giry, as a thief!"

"Say that again!"

And Mme. Giry caught Mr. Manager Richard a mighty box on the ear, before Mr. Manager Moncharmin had time to intervene. But it was not the withered hand of the angry old beldame that fell on the managerial ear, but the envelope itself, the cause of all the trouble, the magic envelope that opened with the blow, scattering the bank-notes, which escaped in a fantastic whirl of giant butterflies.}

I don't think Richard is the hero here- which one of them is the one who's interrogating and pretending to be friendly with a gullible but harmless older lady for the sake of pinning a crime on her, and which one is the (not so!) harmless old lady who just wants what's best for her daughter?

You go, Madame Giry- box some sense into those managers who think you're a dastardly mastermind capable of pulling off elaborate tricks and crimes!

{"I never said that," declared Mme. Giry, "seeing that it was myself who put the twenty-thousand francs into M. Richard's pocket." And she added, under her voice, "There! It's out! ... And may the ghost forgive me!"

Richard began bellowing anew, but Moncharmin authoritatively ordered him to be silent.

"Allow me! Allow me! Let the woman explain herself. Let me question her." And he added: "It is really astonishing that you should take up such a tone! ... We are on the verge of clearing up the whole mystery. And you're in a rage! ... You're wrong to behave like that... I'm enjoying myself immensely."}

Can I just say that asking forgiveness from an angel makes much more sense than asking a ghost's forgiveness?

Richard: "But I thought we agreed to do a 'good cop, bad cop' routine!"

{"Aha!" said Richard, suddenly assuming a swaggering air which Moncharmin did not like. "I knew nothing either! You put twenty-thousand francs in my pocket and I knew nothing either! I am very glad to hear it, Mme. Giry!"

"Yes," the terrible dame agreed, "yes, it's true. We neither of us knew anything. But you, you must have ended by finding out!"

Richard would certainly have swallowed Mme. Giry alive, if Moncharmin had not been there! But Moncharmin protected her.}

I'd hardly say that Madame Giry is terrible, even if she did just box someone in the ears for calling her a thief.

Do I need to start a count for 'cannibalism references related to eating Madame Giry'? (Is she everyone in management's go-to for 'if we were stranded on a deserted island and running out of food, this is who we'd eat first' ? She really doesn't deserve that.) Because if so, in the immortal words of Doctor Doofenshmirtz, "I'd have two nickels - which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice."

Current Mood: anxious

{ 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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