The OPERA HOUSE Chapter 44 to 46

44.

Trevor sat there with his facial expression drawn in horror when he was told the news of Coligny.

“He is dead….” Trevor uttered out before he cradled his face on the hands. The Chief Inspector had just known of it but due to the Opera House, he had not visited the scene of Coligny’s death. He had met Trevor and told the other. He did not why he did it but the dead man will tell no tales but maybe one that was hurt may do so.

“Tell me of Monsieur Coligny? I want to know more about him.”

“He …” Trevor broke out in tears once more. “He should not had died. We have plans…”

“What plans?” The Chief Inspector asked.

“To…. No, you would not understand.” Trevor looked at the Chief Inspector. “We were ….Never mind. Let me off here. I will need some time alone.”

With that Trevor himself signalled the carriage driver to stop for him to disembark. He stood by the pavement watching the carriage carrying the Chief Inspector leave before he took the walk to his next destination. He stopped another carriage. He gave the destination and then leaned back. He then muttered to himself.

“Vengeance is mine.”

If only vengeance could be seen it was in the eyes of the Diva. She was seated in the dressing room hours before the play for she felt no place to go at all. The hotel room was not her place to relax since Raoul have left her feeling dejected. She had tried to see the Comte but he is not responding. She tried singing but she held back afraid to hoarse her voice. The pianist was not to be seen and the symphony is trying out with a replacement. Madame Giry was also missing; presumably looking for her daughter. Yes, the bitch is missing. She had heard rumours that the bitch was with the Comte.

“Mon dieu, I need some relief.” The Diva screeched out. She looked at the hair brush and smiled. “No, not today, Cherie. I need something more robust.”  

“Madame Diva?” The Diva was distracted by the knock on her door. She gave consent for the visitor and was greeted by the presence of Monsieur Firmin bearing a huge bouget of flowers.

“Something for me?” The Diva spurned surprise at her facial expression.

“For the opening night. You deserved it.” Firmin replied and placed the three feet high flower stand to the corner. It was a beautiful assembled of flowers like a peacock displaying its feathers.

“Tell me, Firmin. Who will be here?” The Diva trying to spark a conversation while diverting her mind off her boredom. The other replied with a list of names and ranks which the Diva expected at her opening performances but her sight was on the man standing there. He was not young like Raoul but he held a splendid frame and the tightness at the crotch was not be dismissed. Firmin caught her stare and then decided to take leave of the dressing room. He stepped out and bumped into Lenier. 

“Pardon me, Monsieur Firmin. The cartloads of flowers have arrived. I am placing them on the aisles and corridors. They are heavy by the weight.” Lenier balanced on the stacks of lilacs housed in an oblong vase.

“Perhaps they are explosive.” Firmin commented back before he saw Debierne storming in. He intercepted the later and was given he shocking news.

“Coligny dead? But who will do that?” Firmin asked. “He …”

“Yes, he was without enemy.” Debierne attested for his partner. “I had known him for years. I am concerned on Trevor who ….love him.”

Firmin ignored the grieving partner and went on his other arrangement for the evening. The hour was drawing close. He saw then the crates of new props brought in and had them taken to the basement. He then saw Armand was there and left the task to the other.

Armand looked at the crates and smiled. At least, they have the shipment and then to move it to the catacombs. To him, he does not care what the guns will be used as long as the gold gets into his hands. He was not like Firmin who was more conscious of the political issues. He was concerned when he saw the officer demanding to check the crates. He stepped in to intervene on the argument then.

“Monsieur Armand, I have to check the crates. It’s the order of the Chief…” The young officer remarked to him.

“And I am telling you no. I have a show due to open in another hour and these items have to be stored. I cannot have my men diverted from their works to please your Chief.” Armand stressed his reply. “Unless you want to tell the Mayor and also Surete Chief; that due to your insistence, I cannot have the show start on schedule.”

Armand did not wait the reply and instructed the crates to be moved then leaving the officer red-faced standing there. The men carried the crates towards the lower levels and soon the officer left in an embarrassment. Armand then went onto arranged the other works with a satisfied look on his face.

So was Trevor when he emerged from the tavern where he met some old associates. He was once with them from the streets before he ascent to the more affluent bedrooms but never once he forgotten his past. He then knew of the murder details, and it was involved one named Viscomte who was seen leaving there with a lady. He knew where to find that Viscomte.

“An eye for an eye.”

And nothing escaped the eyes of the one named Emil who stayed above but his keen ears picked up conversations. He saw the works from above, and his movement unhindered for he was familiar with the narrow corridors and a few hidden ones. He knew where the planks are weak and avoid them. He will give them an opening they will never expect at all. He then made his way to the catacombs.

45.

“Jean, you are frightening me?” The elderly lady looked at the man who was then rummaging the crates there. The man who was her lover for years stooped up holding the mask that he once donned in the back years as the member of the Legion. He found also the pistol among the items there. They used to carry that to terrorized the people. It brought him back memories of those moments when the mask also struck terror into the faces of the people they were trying to coax then. He sighed then, when he recalled the escape when the people revolted against them; they were hunted like animals. He wondered why the news were reporting that they were tyrants when all they wanted to do was restore their heritage for their own kinds. Was it unkind to fight your own survival when you were part of the suppressed then, when berating their rights was met by violence. They retaliated in the same manner back; eye for an eye. They won themselves reprieve when they formed the ruling party and from there, the Legion took on the task of the cleansing. It was not what they do that was considered a repeat of previous happenings in that country but the way they do it. The Legion methods were most vile in comparison then. The killings, or said by many to be murders were done in grisly manner. The bodies were desecrated and the heart placed outside the chest. It was an expression that they have a dark heart. And it was when the organ was darkened when exposed to the elements.

“Jean, you are not listening to…”

“Darling, I am happy….No, I meant happier now. I am back with my own.” The man replied to the irritating voice of the lady. “You were my happy points but compared to these…No, the Legion is my family. Do you know what it’s like to be with your family?”

“Jean, you do know that …I am without my family.” The lady replied in anger. “You were …”

That drove the man to reach out for the lady but she moved away.

“Jean, you are disgusting. I regretted having…” The lady looked away but the man had reached for her. He caught her right arm and pulled her towards him. He apologies to her and held her body close to him/ She struggled and then relented to the familiar feel of the warmth body. He leaned over to kiss her on the forehead as a sign of affection. He then pulled back when he saw the person or the grotesque for one watching them.

Emil had been to the catacombs before he was kept there during his initial stay, he lived there as it was considered safe from the prying eyes. He was glad then for the imprisonment; another cage to him then and instead of iron bars they were stone pillars and wider area for him to explore. He had the rodents for company for most times; there were others. The lady who was his saviour and the other who also brought him food. Neither speak to him, and he had welcomed that. He had not like the talking at him when he was in circus or the shouts that followed the whippings. Pain was something that he learned to bear then. When he took the beatings, he subdued the pains with the lovely thoughts of his mother. She had told him that in the bad times, think of God but to him, God was too busy to know him so he held another in his mind.

Memphisto.

Emil recalled the lines that gave him the face.

(In French) Parmi vous, de grâce,

Permettez-moi de prendre place!

(I crave that you will allow me to take a place
In your midst.)

Emil stumbled on the elderly couple. They were in each other arms; he had seen it before but one he had not seen in his eyes and only in his mind. He had seen his mother with his unknown father. He had no face for his father but the kind face. His father image was that of the friendly faces he had seen in the circus or of late with his stay, another face appeared.

It was the lover of Carmen.

Jose.

Not Escamillo the Matador.

“Who…. So it’s you, the one we rescued.” Emil heard the elderly man. He looked away but the elderly man called him. “Stay away from here. You here do not belong here.”

Emil turned and ran away. He was familiar with the catacombs and soon found he was not alone. He saw the two wagons there. The wagons were small more like carts but the men were armed. He had seen others before but they were never armed. That was why he preferred to stay on the roof areas and only come there for his meals. He had seen evil before and more so on the expression of Man.

Those two were of evil and he wondered why they are there.

The one night when the Opera was to open.

“It’s abominable…” The Diva was clearly upset then. She pulled at the left sleeve of her gown. She was upset that an hour more to the opening act and her pianist was missing. The coach to the dancers was also missing. Christine was missing. So was her Roaul.

“Diva, I am sure we can …” Debierne tried to comfort the Diva. He was there on the request of the new owner, Firmin. He did wonder why dragged him there when he was to leave for London with his wealth.

“So I heard that your …”

“Yes, Coligny died today. He was ….murdered. I am saddened by it. Who will kill my partner? We made our wealth.” Debierne turned away. “Do this for his memory, Diva. You owed it to us….. to Coligny.”

The Diva looked at the man. For once after so many years, she felt emotions welled up in her. It was not Coligny or the new owners. She came back to the House because she felt the belonging there. She was once the dancer there; young and clumsy but she had aspiration to be better..”

Like Christine.

“I will sing.”

For the House was her Romeo. She will die for it. Like Juliet.

46.

“Welcome, Monsieur Mayor.” The Chief Inspector greeted the guest the carriage. “I trust you will enjoyed the Opera tonight.”

“Oui, I hoped the Phantom will do so too tonight.” Both men laughed at the remarked by the later. “And the Diva is singing tonight?”

The Chief Inspector nodded but his company was soon dismissed when the Mayor sighted the arrival of a Baron who he was keen to gain some favours. The Chief Inspector looked at the man whom he was supposedly to serve then took to heel like the hound on a blood trail. He had his own trail but the scents were all missing. He looked to his men at the Opera House. He had posted over thirty officers there; petty numbers compared to the two hundred distinguished guests. If he was hampered the need to evacuate them he could called on the reserves of fifty more he had positioned nearby. The question would they come in time. He had wanted to place them there in House but that would raise alarm and the papers will see him crucified for over cautious.

“Crucified? Ain’t we all?” The Chief Inspector muttered to himself.

“Pardone, Inspector.” The officer standing next to him looked over. “You have an order.”

“No, I … was just talking to myself.” The Chief Inspector have four officers with to relay his orders in the case of an emergency. “Tell me of the Coligny murder, and the one that we were find in the House?’

“None, Inspector. The so named fugitive was not to be found. We have searched everywhere.”

“Including the catacombs?”

“Oui.” It was not a convincing one but it surpassed then for the Chief Inspector was distracted the arrival of the Comte. He approached the Comte who was alone.

“You are alone?” The Chief Inspector looked to the departing carriage.

“Yes, most unfortunate. My ….escort was not well.” The Comte replied and made his way to the House. He was most disappointed by Christine who had gone missing. She was not in the chamber and her dress untouched. He had the servants searched the house but no one could find her. He reckoned that she may be there at the House. Maybe Raoul will be there too.

“Phillipe de Chagny!” The Comte heard his name called. And it was rude for he was never addressed by that in Paris. He looked to the voice and saw an old friend from the Regiment.

“Major Pierre, Alain Pierre. And this is …” The Comte looked to the young lady clinging then to the arms.

“Lorraine Dupont, the ….”

“The daughter of the Commandant. Yes, I remembered. You were a …younger then.” The lady smiled.

“Lorraine is my fiancé” That shocked the Comte but the next remark did not. “I am Colonel now.”

The Comte missed the rank colours on the shoulder and then congratulated the couple before he made an excuse to see another he saw at the corner. At the last moment he stepped away to move towards the serving staff with the serving glasses of wine.

“If you are looking for the incompetent…” The Colonel cautioned his fiancé.

“Raoul is the past. I am engaged to you now. Lorraine looked to her older fiancé. She did harbour the temptation to meet Raoul but all in good time. After all, she loved her new lover for he was with power and rank. She did look around and was amused by the different people she was introduced to. It was so different from the army camp with the same faces or the new nervous ones. She was wondering how Christine will looked like.

“Raoul, I know of a side entrance to the Opera House.” Christine had mentioned to Raoul and it was decided that she will get inside. Raoul himself then made his way to the carriage that will take him there. He decided to come in the grand way and surprised his brother. His carriage arrived soon after the Comte but before he disembarked he saw Lorraine. She was dressed in pink strapless gown and hardly need to concern with any sloppiness.

Raoul felt his heart beats then but it turned to rage when he saw the man next to Lorraine. It was the bastard Major but from his uniform, he was a Colonel then. He saw the couple spoke to his brother and then mingled with the others. He made his way to the private boxes without meeting anyone. He had booked one under an assumed name and with the exchange of some monetary value, it was secured for him.

“Christine?” Raoul called but there was no one at the box. Christine was gone. He looked at the corridors but she was not to seen. He could not risk asking the staff there and surrendered himself to hide in the box. He was there to take down his brother.

“Mother?” Christine called out when she opened the door to their sleeping chamber. It was empty and she looked around. She stopped a passing staff to inquire but the reply was they do not know. They asked have no news on the Valerian’s.

“I think they left.” That was the clear reply Christine got. But to where was the question on Christine’s mind. Not all was missing for Lenier learned of the death of Coligny. He was startled by the news and then he ran out of the House. He took to the one place where he knew that justice will be served.

“I am here to see Henri.” Lenier glared at the bartender of the tavern which was the place he sought his justice. “Tell him the Legion calls upon him. We have to reunite for the Phantom.”