The OPERA HOUSE Part 5& 6

5.

“Have anyone seen my brother, Raoul de Chagny?” The elderly sibling, Comte Phillipe de Chagny turned on his seat at the Box Eight which he had reserved to watch the play featuring Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro.). It was a rare play then in Paris and he had booked the box weeks ago. He brought along the beautiful lady named Nicole Durpin. He had not seen the show but the reviews of it from his Venice friends drove him there to see it but not his teenager brother whose inclination was still snow balls and fine art. The younger Viscomte fancied himself a re-born Impressionist then. The Comte turned to his aide.

“Find the brat.”

The one who was missing was actually at the dressing room behind the curtain there doing what was then called a curiosity. He stood still there while the dancers went about their change of clothing. For a fourteen year old and pampered with his life then then, he was also like other growing kids. He sniggered while his sight was fixated on the ladies before him but someone should have told him that that was not the manor he lived in where the more matured maids had condone his act as they had with the other male servants.

“Le bois est de retour, mais il n'y a pas d'écorce pour son pichet.” (The woody is back but there is no bark for his pecker.) That was the maid talking then but the dancers were not that considerate.

“You will leave this place now and stayed away….forever.” The red headed dancer from Lyon snapped at the departing young lad despite her body was covered with only a corset and the pantaloons for pants. The other dancers in various undressed conditions laughed at the departing lad.

Laughter for the young lad was his accolade for attention. He lacked attention in the Manor and worse his servants as they were named were servitude to his requests with none dares to refuse him.

“Raoul, there you are.” The aide assigned to find him called out to the lad near the rear exit. “Your brother called for you.”

Raoul looked pathetically at the man who was thrice his age. He strolled back to the aide and held out his right hand.

“Take me back.” Raoul told the aide. That was the hard part to surrender to your fate then came the easy part.

“Raoul, you are up to your own antics and I am tired of it. I am putting you into the net box and there you will remain for the rest of the show.” Raoul took his punishment and then began his next hobby. He carries with him a flat bag which contained his drawing pad and pencil. The drawing he was to do was the image of a girl he saw in the dressing room. He finished the sketch when the curtains came down. He looked at it and smiled.

“You are pretty.” Raoul muttered out and then he folded the drawing to place it into his bag. It was not be the last drawing but numerous of her in many postures. He came back to watch her in other plays, and there she was dancing with the other eleven ladies but to him, she was the enchanted one.

His sudden change for the opera scene did not evade the attention of the older brother.

“Raoul, we need to talk.” Phillipe stepped up to his brother who was painting by the pond at the estate outside of Paris. He then looked at the painting. It was a lady standing at the pond with the water immersed to her knees. She had her arms above her like in a dance.

“Why did you draw her in the water?” Phillipe asked.

“Because she can’t really dance.” Raoul replied. “She is good and many others in the same group too but they all lacked some important moves to be perfect. It’s like a painting. You can get the work out but you can’t see the mistakes you make for not everyone sees beneath the paint strokes unless you are an expert.”

‘And you are one now? What is your age, Raoul? You are not …”

“Don’t belittle me, Phillipe. I am not ….stupid. I may be young…or younger but I know my painting. If you recall I foresee the limp in Raphael.”

“That was a horse.” Phillipe snapped out. He was upset that the prized runner he paid turned out bad before it could be turned out at the races.

“No, brother. He was Raphael. I spoke to him. He showed me his leg.”

“You were seven then.” It was the age when Phillipe had to send his brother to study in the boarding school for he was uncontrollable at home. He has been study there and only returned the year before to take a year off his studies before he joined the military college. It was the family tradition to serve as an officer of the French Dragoon.

“Perhaps you are right. To you Raphael is a horse but to me, Raphael is a friend.” Raoul replied and then continued with his painting. The brother of the artist gave up and walked back to the Manor. Raoul turned to look at his departing brother and then himself took off in the opposite direction.

“I thought you won’t come.” Raoul looked to the girl lady that was two years older than him. They were in the park at Paris facing the monstrous Grand Opera House.

“I was caught up in the … works. Here I want to show you a painting.” Raoul then pulled the still wet painting to show the lady.

“I am standing in the water.” The lady replied.

“No you are coming out of the water. I have not finished the painting.” Raoul explained. “It’s to show your form emerging from the water the like the swan.”

“Oh, I love it.” The lady replied.

“Then would you love me back?” Raoul asked with his stare fixated on the lady’s face. The lady smiled with a blush expression.

“We are still young, Raoul. Give it some more years and I may just…say yes.” The lady was named Christine.

6.

Comte Phillipe de Chagny looked at the two gentlemen he had invited to his Manor for the meet there. It was not that he does not get visitors of sort being one of the notable bachelors in Paris and also a wealthy one too. His Manor resides in a huge estate that encompassed three ponds and hunting lodge that was about two miles away when he retired to hunt his hare and pheasants. Or to have a private moment with the lady then of his choice which were few although he could have induced.

“Comte de Chagny, I can assure you the investment in the Opera House is viable.” The man who spoke was Monsieur Coligny. He had seen the Comte at the plays and came over to offer some invites which was his initial intention until he diverted the issue.

“I am sure it’s a fine investment. How long have you invested there?” The Comte was not naïve to the investment talks and reversed the order of discussion.

“Yes, it’s good. It’s our fifth year anniversary next week.” Coligny smiled. “We are fortunate.”

“And fortunate enough to make money out of it.” The voice belonged to Monsieur Debienne. 

“The invites are to share our joy with you. We are hosting Carmen for the week of our anniversary.”

The Comte shifted in his seat to face the other who had earlier excuse to go for the restroom but the bread crumbs did not trailed to the restroom. He then decided the guests have taken their allocated time. He decided to ask on a rumour.

“I heard the Opera House is …how could I put it….” The Comte was snapped off.

“The Phantom menace? Mon dieu! Surely you are not to be taken in by those rumours.” Debienne laughed it out. “I myself came across the talks and dismissed it.”

“The House is old and with age the structure may groan and moan at times. We are holding half full house for three nights on weekdays and one full house on the weekends.” Coligny added in. “We have been repairing the place ever since we bought it.”

“Do you know that the House sits over a labyrinth of sewage tunnel and within it, there are hidden partitions and walkway. It was not listed in the House design plans but the nobles then have always been careful even when it’s secret rendezvous.”

All three men laughed at the last line. It was also a relief point for the conversation and soon the owners left. That was five years ago and they have returned to say their farewell.

“Comte, we have been here for so many occasions that I lost count.” Debienne was served his chocolate éclair then by the Manor’s pastry baker. “As mentioned by my partner, we are leaving soon for the other continent by cruise.”

“So the House is finally sold.” Comte de Chagny smiled at the two gentlemen who had confided with him. “So when did you sign the agreement?”

“Last night. We also have our final meal there.” Debienne laughed out. “Our last supper but there was only two of us. Judas was not there.”

“No, Madame Giry was there. She could be the reincarnate of the Judas. Did Judas have a wife? Maybe she was the one.” Coligny added in. He disliked the lady for her stern manners but she was one good coach at the dancing. Anyway she was paid much less than others in the same role. Although she held accommodations there. He could go on but he reckoned when he signed the House away, he signed off the bad tenants too.

That included the assumed Phantom.

“If he did, would he had asked for his silver coins?” Comte de Chagny cut in and regretted his words. “I was …”

“No, Comte. You are not to be …I mean the Phantom menace still prevailed. Last month, I have the Costume Department told me that they lost another costume. It was a velvet dark cloak with the high lapels that cover the side of the face. It was to be used for a new play on some blood sucking vampire.” Coligny assured the Comte. “I had the assistant fired though. My last tyrant move.”

“This tyrant whose sole name blisters our tongues was once thought honest.” Debienne quoted from Shakespeare then. “My partner was then before the business ate into his flesh.”

Debienne then imitated the charade of man eating cannibal gnawing at the bone.

“Stop that, Debienne. I am not the only one who fired the staff. You fired the cashier…”

“She was taking the money. I found proof of it.” Debienne blasted back.”You did not on the assistant. You just didn’t like him. You turn him out without his dues. Have you no more humanity in there?”

“Gentlemen, please control your emotions.” Comte de Chagny cut in. He had known these two men for nearly a decade and then almost sworn as a third partner in their venture. Debienne was the first to apologise and then grabbed the coat to leave but the Comeye stopped him.

“Debieme, please don’t be hasty. You are soon to leave for a new …..life. So don’t spoil it with this.”

“Debieme, don’t be a child. I offered my apology.” Coligny stood up to offer his handshake but the later rejected it. He walked to the door and then stopped. His shoulder slumped and then he spoke.

“It’s the Phantom. I should have told the new owners.” Debieme finally admitted his frustration. “I cannot find him if he was for real or an imaginative prank of the staff. It has been there for years.”

“Debieme, you are not responsible for the …. menace. You are not to be blame.” Coligny consoled his partner. The hug from the back and the lean of the head could be foretelling but it could be years of friendship. Debieme in the front rubbed at the tears from his cheeks.

“Gentlemen, both of you are …free. Enjoy that. Not everyone have that in their life.” Comte tried to find the words to comfort them.\ but Debieme needed to release his woes.

“I will tell you about the Phantom.”