47
Firmin picked up the glass containing
the cognac. It was French and not Haitian. He had to declare his affinity to
the French wine but to maintain his disguise with Armand, he had to side step
his affinity. The wine was twice distilled in copper stills and aged two years
in the oak barrels.
“Celebrating so early?” Firmin turned
to look at his partner who had just stepped into the office at the House. “Our
House is brimming with dignitaries and the rich. I wished I could just tell
them of our cause…”
“You will not do that.” Firmin
cautioned his partner. “There are enemies out there which we have not …known
yet.”
Armand looked at the other and smiled.
He took up the other glass that was on the table and poured himself a drink.
“I wondered sometimes Firmin if you are
real. I meant if you are really for the cause. I have seen you giving me
disbeliefs in your ….mind.” Armand looked to the other. “I recalled the day we
were asked to work together. You were the one with the arrangement to the
funds, and me I was the arms dealer. I was sold then that you believed in our
cause but I have my doubts. It was in London last when I saw you meet someone
that I was unsure then. I got my memories sorted and recalled he was one of the
groups that opposed us.”
Firmin recalled then the first meeting
he had with one named Clive Matthew. It was short and direct.
“Firmin, I want you to work with Armand
here on the acquisition of certain shipments.” Clive was direct. He had to be
being the leader in the group that arrange the financing. Unknown to Armand,
Clive was snared by the team and offered a deal to get out. His betrayal was to
be rewarded with a new identity and a long stay at the Bahamas. He left soon
after and was not heard of. Until that moment.
“The one with Clive, yes, it was so ….
Binding.” Firmin replied. “I wondered why you asked. Whom did I meet at London
that…”
“Clive.” Armand dropped it then. Firmin
recalled he met Clive then who was thinking of asking for more money. It was
supposed to be a clandestine meet but it seemed that he was sloppy.
“You were not mistaken. Clive was
there. He returned to the Group.”
“He returned? He was branded a traitor
and you should kill him.”
“Killing is not my ….skill. I leave it
to the …” The reply from Armand placed Firmin on the wrong footing.
“Trading in arms was only one of my
skills. I am also a killer.” Armand revealed his other skill. “The group tells
me whom I am to kill. And your name had appeared.”
Firmin looked at the other hard in the
eyes before he lowered the glass. Armand had done the same but he refilled his
glass.
“I will be direct. You are marked but I
will give you a second chance. Be honest to me and I will spare your life.”
Armand was serious. So was Firmin.
“Then kill me but wait till the show is
over. Can we agree to that?” Firmin glared at that other. “Should we?”
Armand did not stop the man leaving. He
was not sure why he gave that opportunity to Firmin. He was prepared then to
kill with his dagger inside his left sleeve but something stopped him. He was
not sure then. He felt someone stopped him. But there was no one there.
Maybe a Phantom did.
“Jean Balerius, you looked fine in the
uniform.” Jean Valerian had donned the cloak and the mask when he wore as
member of the Phantom. He looked at Lenier who was addressing him.
“I see you are having reminiscent of
the past. Well, forget the nostalgia. The Legion is going to assemble today.
And a new leader will be appointed…..” Lenier was cut off by the pianist.
“The new leader? What happened to the ….
Where is Jaga ….Ivan is he dead?”
Lenier nodded. He then told Jean the
news.
“I did not know Coligny was Jaga Ivan.
He did look similar but I ….no, he did not ever tell me.” Jean asked irritated.
“I was ….”
“You were the pianist then. You were
Jean Valerian, and not Belarius. You were living…”
“My life in exile and never did I ever
…Why did Coligny tell me then?” Jean pulled the mask off. “I never would have
expected to wear this.”
“Well, you may be one. I am nominating
you as the new leader. I have called the members here. We numbered about twelve and we will act on my ….no I meant
your call. We will announce our return. The Legion revive today. The
intermission to Act Two of the play.”
“You must be mad. I am…” Jean shook his
head.
“No, Jean Belarius. You will be the new
leader. We do not mourn our losses. We only rejoice in our gains.”
Rejoicing was what Debierne doing then. He was elated that the Diva was doing her last
minutes preparation. He stood at the box booked by him. He had not stood in the
private boxes for some time. Ever since he bought the House, he had sold the
boxes there for the exorbitant prices and for many nights they were filled to
the brim. As most successful tales, there were also failures. He felt then when
the boxes were not filled and the decision to sell. He was elated then when he
saw the boxes were once more filled that night.
“The Opera coming around. I hope the
Phantom does too. The House was not complete without it.”
48
The Comte viewed the boxes that he
could sight. He identified the patrons. They were all notable names. There was
the Mayor with his wife, the Senior Diplomat from London, the exiled tyrant
from the South American and among others. He was looking for Raoul and he was
not to be found. He was adamant that Christine was with him. He will catch her
in the other arms, and then he will kill them both.
“No one takes my love.” The Comte
muttered out. “Not even my brother.”
“Ah, there you are.” The Comte looked
to his rear. He saw Lorraine standing there. “Can I come in?”
Lorraine was not alone but with the
fiancé of her’. The Colonel stepped in to the front of Lorraine.
“I came because she wanted to see the
play. I knew that she wanted to come to see her previous lover.” The Colonel
turned to look at the lady. “Was it Raoul his name?”
It came with a back handed slap on the
lady left cheek. Lorraine fell against the wall there but her tears did not
flow. She was her father’s daughter; tough and vengeful. She glared at the man
who was her fiancé not by choice of love but of survival. She will bide her
time to gain her vengeance later. For now, she will endure
“I will allow you to see him but soon
after, you will remain mine and mine alone.” The Colonel glared at the Comte.
“Comte de Chagny, you will bear witness to this. And she betrayed me, God alone
won’t protect her from me.”
“Colonel, here in the Opera House,
there is one other who surpassed God in the influence and power. The ….”
“The Phantom? I heard tales that it’s
here. I have the power to defeat it.” The Colonel revealed the ceremony sword
on his belt waist. “I have coated it with silver and with it the Phantom will
cease to exist.”
The Comte was to react with violence
but the untimely intervention of the Chief Inspector avoided that.
“Pardon the intrusion.” The Chief
Inspector saw the lady leaning on the wall. He reached out to help her but the
uniformed officer had beaten him to it. The Inspector saw the red welt on the
cheek and questioned it.
“I knocked myself against the wall.”
Lorraine replied and then allowed herself to cling to her fiancé. “I am always
clumsy.”
“Deeply regretted, Madame. I am in the
same …May I say train.” The Chief Inspector laughed. “I am checking on the
guests. The play is about to start. And I have many more guests to look out
for. Rejoice please.”
When the Chief Inspector left the box,
the Comte glared at the Colonel.
“Perhaps later after the play, we can
work on restoring our honour.” The Colonel clicked his feet before he led his
fiancé to their own box. The Comte turned to look towards the stage where the
play was to take place. He saw then Armand talking to a staff near it. He
recalled then his conversation with Firmin. It made sense then the promise made
by Firmin. He wanted to regain the influence the de Chagny in Paris and that
was one way. When his father died, he had tried to do that but the shift of
power had moved. He had consented to the request and with it came his personal
case. It was his father’s and handed to him. The case contained the gun that
was his father’s. He just needed the chance to get close to the man to shoot
him.
“I want the shipment ready to move to
the catacombs during the recess between Act One and Two. Do it as if you are
moving the props.” Armand gave his instructions. He then saw the new faces at
the back stage. “Who are those new workers? I don’t recall hiring any.”
“They are new. Some of ours did not
turn up and I had to get replacement. Lenier cleared them to work here.”
Armand heard the other. He was upset
that he was not consulted. There was no time to discuss that and he left it as
such. He saw then Firmin approaching him.
“Firmin, tell me are we not the
grandest Opera House in Paris tonight?” Armand gloated over the number of
patrons that came that evening.
“It’s one of a lifetime opportunity,
Armand. I live for this moment.” Firmin smiled. It was for most of them,
including Jean Valerian. He had donned the mask and cloak to be the Phantom. He
turned to look at his lover. She was seated there at the corner with hands held
together in prayer.
“If you are praying, my love. Pray for
me please. This is my lifetime recital. It will be remembered by many.”
Trevor had plans with Coligny. They
were to travel far but with his death, there was nothing to look for. He was
not the lover of the man but the confidante. He knew of Coligny’s past when he
was a leader of the Legion. There were little secrets when both shared the same
bed. Coligny did not stop being the leader of the Legion. He created a new
Legion in Paris but they remained hidden unless called. It was a small unit of
members. He was to call on them for their duty to him then as the new leader.
He met them; the six members in the private box. Outside of the box, they were
members of society and held some influence.
“Monsieur Trevor, you are the new
leader now. We will find the killer that took our leader’s life.” That came
from the uniformed officer of the Surete. “I am checking with my other officers
but I cannot arouse the suspicion of the Chief Inspector.”
“I asked not for you here to find the
killer of Coligny. I wanted you here to protect me. Whoever killed our past
leader may come for me?” Trevor smiled. “I am not afraid of dying but I
reckoned whoever kill our past leader will come for me next. I am placing myself
as a target. When the killer moved on me, all of you will moved on him.”
Trevor turned to the near wall. He
moved the panel there and revealed the arms that were stored there.
“Armed yourselves. You need them to
kill the killer.”
49.
MEPHISTOPHELES
We are set! He takes the beaker from the table. And now, Master, I myself invite you To drain this vessel In which smokes and bubbles No longer Death, no longer poison, but life! FAUST seizing the beaker To you, divine and bewitching vision! |
||
|
He drains the beaker
and is at once changed into a young and elegant lord. The vision vanishes.
MEPHISTOPHELES Come! FAUST Shall I see her again? MEPHISTOPHELES No doubt you will. FAUST When? MEPHISTOPHELES This very day! FAUST Very well! MEPHISTOPHELES Away, then! FAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES Away! Pleasure will be mine/yours, So will young mistresses, etc. |
The audience applauded the of Act One.
The Diva was divine in her singing despite the shaky dancing by the ladies;
maybe they were out of sync for their coach was missing and the stand in was
not influencing then. The orchestra was better despite the conductor amending
for the missing pianist. The applauding did not cease until all the actors have
left the stage. The workers ran on stage for the props behind the screen.
Armand was irritable with the workings then from the props to the ticketing.
Nothing was right to him but he stepped around whenever he saw Firmin. He was
not ready for the confrontation.
Armand saw the potted plants then at
the walls. He did not expect to have potted plants and worse it was placed in
the walking paths. He told the worker near him to remove it but Firmin
intervened.
“Do not move the plant. Be on your
way.” Firmin looked to Armand. “I brought those plants here. So leave them
there. I am still part owner.”
Armand was not taking it easy. He
glared back at Firmin.
“And what may have you growing there?
Some more guns or money?” Firmin heard the other and replied in hard words.
“Do not go near it. I warn you.” Firmin
told him. “We have agreed that we will only kill each other after the play.”
“Monsieur Firmin. Monsieur Armand.” The
voice distracted the two gentlemen. It was the voice of authority. “A splendid
show.”
“And I hoped it will last to the end.”
Firmin replied to the Chief Inspector. “Pardon me, Inspector but I am needed in
another meeting.”
Firmin stepped away leaving Armand to
handle the Inspector but the later was evasive in making another excuse. Soon
then the Inspector was left alone and he was not offended; only curious to the
happenings then. In facts there was none to work out his concern. Not even the
appearance of Raoul deChagny in a separate box from the usual family box. The
Diva was doing fine and the other guests were all entertained. He was still
looking for the missing fugitive and had assumed the person had left the House.
What could possibly go wrong when he
had so many officers in the House?
The Chief Inspector was wrong.
The commotion came soon then.
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