埃利克小说ThePhantomoftheOpera（歌剧魅影）在线章节阅读：
4 The Phantom is angry
That was Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning Mon sieur Armand and Monsieur Firmin were happy men. Paris liked the new Margarita-everything in life was good. Th e next opera night was Friday. It was Faust again, but this time with La Carlotta singing Margarita.
By Wednesday afternoon they were not so happy. A second letter arrived for them-from O. G.
Why don't you listen to me? I am getting angry. Leave Box 5 free for me. And where are my 20, 000 francs? On Friday Daaé must sing Margarita again. She is now the best singer in Paris. La Carlotta cannot sing-she has a very ugly voice, like a toad.
Remember, I am a bad enemy. O. G.
\"so, Firmin, is this still a joke?\" Monsieur Armand shouted.
\"What are we going to do now, eh? Is O. G. the director here, or are we?\"
\"Don't shout, Armand,\" said Monsieur Firmin tiredly. \"I don't know the answers. Let's talk to Madame Giry, the door keeper of Box 5. Perhaps she can help us.\"
But Madame Giry was not helpful. Madame Giry was not afraid of ghosts, and she was not afraid of directors of Opera Houses.
\"People say that you're a friend of the Opera ghost, Madame Giry,\" Monsieur Armand began. \"Tell us about him. Some people say he has no head.\"
\"And some people say he has no body,\" said Monsieur Firmin. \"What do you say, Madame Giry?\"
Madame Giry looked at the two men and laughed. \"I say that the directors of the Opera House are fools!\"
\"What!\" Monsieur Armand shouted. He stood up, and his face was red and angry. \"Listen to me, woman-\"
\"Oh, sit down, Armand, and listen,\" said Monsieur Firmin. \"why do you say that, Madame Giry?\"
\"Because, Monsieur, the Opera ghost is angry with you. When the ghost wants something, he must have it. He is clever and dangerous, this ghost. The old directors before you, they knew that, oh yes. At first they tried to stop him. Then there were many accidents in the Opera House, many strange acci dents. And when did these accidents happen? When the ghost was angry! So, the old directors learnt very quickly. The ghost wants Box 5? He can have it every night. The ghost wants money? Let's give the money to him at once. Oh yes, the old directors understood very well.\"
\"But we are the directors, not the Opera ghost!\" Monsieur Armand shouted. He turned to Monsieur Firmin. \"This woman is mad. Why do we listen to her? On Friday night La Carlotta is going to sing Margarita. And you and I, Firmin, are going to watch the opera from Box 5.\" \"Well, we can try that, Armand. But we don't want any accidents.\"
Madame Giry came nearer to the two men. \"Listen to me,\" she said quietly. \"Remember Joseph Buquet? I tell you, the Opera ghost is a good friend, but a bad enemy.\"
The two men stared at her. \"Those words, Monsieur Firmin said slowly, \"why did you say those words, Madame Giry?\"
\"Because the ghost says them to me. I never see him, but I often hear him. He has a very nice voice and he doesn't shout at people.\"
5 A letter for Raoul
That Wednesday a letter also arrived for the young Vi comte de Chagny. He opened the letter, saw the name at the bottom, and smiled for the first time that day.
Dear Raoul
Of course I remember you! How could I forget you?
Meet me on Thursday at three o'clock in the Tuileries Gardens. Don't be angry with me, Raoul, please.
Christine Daaé
Raoul put the letter carefully into his pocket. Angry? How could he be angry with an angel? On Thursday he was in the Tuileries Gardens by two o'clock.
At ten past three he began to feel unhappy. At half past three he wanted to die, or to kill somebody.
And thenshe came. She ran through the gardens to him, and in a second she was in his arms.
\"Oh, Christine!\" he said, again and again. \"Oh, Christine!\" They walked through the gardens together and talked for a long time. They remembered their happy weeks in Brittany, four years ago.
\"But why did you go away, Christine?\" Raoul asked. \"Why didn't you write to me?\"
For a minute or two Christine said nothing. Then she said slowly, \"We were so young, you and I. I was just a poor singer from Norway, and youyou were the Vicomte de Chagny. I knew I could never be your wife.\"
\"But I love you, Christine-\"
\"No, shh. Listen to me, Raoul, please. I went home to Norway, and a year later, my father died. I was very unhappy, but I came back to France, to Paris. I worked and worked at my singing, because I wanted to be an opera singer. Not just a good singer, but the best opera singer in Paris.\"
\"And now you are,\" Raoul said. He smiled. \"All Paris is at your feet.\"
Christine turned her face away and said nothing.
\"Christine,\" Raoul said quietly. \"I want to ask you a question. Who was the man in your dressing－room on Tuesday night? Tell me, please!\"
Christine stopped and stared at him. Her face went white. \"What man?\" she whispered. \"There was no man in my dressing-room on Tuesday night. \"
Raoul put his hand on her arm. \"I heard him,\" he said. \"I listened outside the door and heard a man's voice. Who was he?\"
\"Don't ask me, Raoul! There was a man's voice, yes, but there was no man in my room! It's true! Oh, Raoul, I'm so afraid. Sometimes I want to die.\"
\"Who is he? Tell me, Christine, please. I'm your friend, I can help you. Tell me his name!\"
\"I cannot tell you his name. It's a secret,\" whispered Christine. \"I never see him, I only hear his voice. But he is everywhere! He sees everything, hears everything. That's why I didn't speak to you on Tuesday night. He is my music teacher, Raoul. He's a wonderful singer. I sang so well on Tuesday night because of him. I am famous because of him. He is my angel of music! And he says he loves me. How can I leave him?\"
6 La Carlotta sings Margarita
On Friday morning La Carlotta had her break fast in bed. She drank her coffee and opened her morning let ters. One letter had no name on it. It was very short.
You are ill. You cannot sing Margarita tonight. Stay at home and don't go to the Opera House. Accidents can happen. Do you want to lose your voice-for ever?
La Carlotta was very, very angry. She got out of bed at once and did not finish her breakfast.
\"This is from Christine Daaé's friends, \"she thought. \"They want her to sing again tonight. That Daaé girl is going to be sorry for this! I, La Carlotta, I am the best opera singer in Paris. And nothing is going to stop me singing Margarita tonight! \"
At six o\"clock that evening the dancers were in their dressing-room. They talked and laughed and put on their red and black dresses for Faust. But Meg Giry was very quiet.
\"What's the matter, Meg? \"Annie Sorelli asked.
\"It's the Opera ghost\", Meg said. \"My mother says he's angry. She's afraid that somethings going to happen tonight.\"
\"Oh, pooh!\" the girl with black hair said. \"Who's afraid of an old ghost?\"
An hour later Monsieur Armand and Monsieur Firmin went into Box 5 and sat down. They were not afraid of ghosts.Of course not. There were no ghosts in the Opera House.
Then Monsieur Armand saw some flowers on the floor by the door of the box. \"Firmin,\" he whispered, \"did you put those flowers there?\"
Monsieur Firmin looked. \"No, I didn't, \"he whispered back, Did you?\"
\"Of course not, you fool! Shh, the music's beginning. \"
La Carlotta did not sing for the first hour. There were no strange voices in Box 5, and the two directors began to feel happier. Then La Carlotta came out onto the stage, and Mon sieur Firmin looked at Monsieur Armand.
\"Did you hear a voice just then?\" he asked quietly.
\"No! \"Monsieur Armand said, but he looked behind him twice, then three times, and suddenly felt cold.
La Carlotta sang and sang, and nothing happened. Then she began a beautiful love song.
\"My love begins to-Co－ack!\"
Everybody stared. What was the matter with Carlotta's voice? What was that strange noise-Co－ack?
Carlotta stopped and began the song again.
\"My love begins to-Co－ack!\"
\"I cannot forget my-Co-ack!\"
It was the noise of a toad! People began to talk and laugh. Monsieur Firmin put his head in his bands. Then he felt Mon sieur Armand's hand on his arm. There was a voice in the box with them! A man's voice, laughing
Poor Carlotta tried again, and again.
\"I cannot forget my-Co－ack!\"
Then the two directors heard the voice again, behind them, in front of them, everywhere. \"Her singing tonight is going to bring down the chandelier!\"
The two directors looked up at the top of the Opera House. Their faces were white. The famous chandelier, with its thou sand lights, broke away from its ropes and crashed down on to the people below.
That was a terrible night for the Paris Opera House. One woman was killed by the chandelier, and many people were hurt. The Opera House closed for two weeks. And La Carlotta never sang again.