The Phantom of the Opera by Jennifer Basset

原文

Chapter 8: Where is Christine Daae?

On Saturday morning,Comte Phillipe looked across the breakfast table at his brother.

"Don't do it,Raoul, please. All this talk about ghosts and phantoms. I think the girl is mad."

"She's not mad,and I'm going to marry her." Raoul said.

"She's only a little opera singer" Phillipe said unhappily. "And she's very young. Are you still going to love her in ten or twenty years time?

Raoul drank his coffee and did not answer.

There were two more unhappy faces in the Opera House, too.

The directors now understood about O.G.

They didn't want anymore accidents.

"It's a lot of money," Mr. Firmin said unhappily.

He thought for a minute.

"What about some flowers in Box 5? Madam Giry says that O.G likes flowers."

"O.G. can bring his own flowers!" shouted Mr. Armand.

The evening began well.

The chandelier was now back in place, with new ropes.

All Paris was in the Opera House.

Everybody wanted to hear Christine Daae's voice again.

People also knew about the love story between Christine Daae and the Vicomte de Chagny.

There are no love secrets in Paris!

People watched the Comte and the Vicomte Box 14 with interest.

Young men from families like de Chagny do not marry opera singers.

When Christine came onto the stage, her face was white, and she looked afraid.

But she sang like an angel.

Ah, what a voice!All Paris was in love with Christine Daae.

She began to sing the famous love song.

Suddenly, every light in the Opera House went out.

For a second, nobody moved or spoke.

Then a woman screamed, and all the lights came on again.

But Christine Daae was no longer on the stage!

She was not behind the stage. She was not under the stage.

Nobody could find her.

The Opera House went mad.

Everybody around here and there, shouted and called.

In the director's office, people ran in and out.

The police came and asked questions.

But nobody could answer the questions.

Mr. Armand got angry and shouted, and Mr. Firmin told him to be quiet.

Then, Madame Giry arrived in the office with her daughter, Meg.

"Go away,woman! " Mr. Armand shouted.

"Monsieur,there are three people missing now!" Madame Giry said. "Meg, tell the directors your story."

This was Meg story.

"When the lights went out, we were just behind the stage. We heard a scream - I think it was Christine Daae's voice. Then the lights came back on, but Christine wasn't there! We were very afraid, and we began t