CHAPTER FOUR

The Night of Curses

Back at the Paris Opera House, Richard and Montcharmin were discussing the strange mystery of Box 5. Something had to be done about the tricks of the "Phantom of the Opera," whoever that was! Box 5 looked exactly like all the other opera boxes. The owners had examined it carefully. They found nothing strange about the box's curtains, the furniture, or the walls. Finally Richard had an idea.

"Montcharmin, my friend, I know how to fix the problem of this ridiculous 6 Phantom' in Box 5," he said calmly. "I think the opera Faust is showing again on Saturday. We should watch the opera from Box 5. Nothing will happen to us, I promise you."

Montcharmin agreed that this was a good idea. The two owners would watch Faust from Box 5. They would find the person who was pretending to haunt it, and turn him over to the police.

When they arrived at the Opera House on Saturday morning, the owners found a letter from the Phantom waiting for them It had some instructions inside, which the owners thought were very strange. They read:

1. I desire Opera Box 5 for my own. I warn you not to sell it ever again to anyone.

2. Tonight, in the opera Faust, Christine Daae will sing the part of Margarita You will tell the audience that Madame Carlotta, the normal singer of that part, is ill.

3. You will kindly give the ticket holder of Box 5 a letter. The letter will state that you, the owners, agree to obey my instructions.

4. The letter will also contain my 20,000 francs, which is late.

The letter ended with the Phantom warning the owners not to disobey him again.

Richard and Montcharmin were angrier than ever before.

"Who dares to send such a letter here? Who dares to tell us what to do in our own Opera House?" Montcharmin yelled.

"Be calm, Montcharmin!" said Richard. "We certainly are not going to be scared by this arrogant fool. This is our Opera House, and we will operate it in the way we choose. Carlotta will sing the lead role. Christine Daae will sing a small role, as usual. Who is she, anyway? I've never even heard of her!"

Richard asked an assistance to send Carlotta to speak to them. He wanted to see if she was actually ill, as the Phantom's letter had said she was. Carlotta told him she was very healthy. Of course she would sing the part of Margarita tonight, and everyone would love her! Just then, Carlotta's servant brought her a letter. The letter was very short. It read:

My dear Carlotta,

I am deeply sorry to learn that you are so ill, because you are an intelligent lady (and also a beautiful one)! I am sure you know that singing tonight would hurt your voice terribly. Staying home would be the best decision. Besides, Christine Daae is a much better Margarita Don't you think so?

"Oh! We shall see about this," Carlotta thought to herself. "It appears that little Christine Daae wants to be the head singer of the Paris Opera House! Who is she to compete with me? She has probably asked one of her friends to send this letter, or written it herself. She is a fool if she thinks she can frighten ME. Her voice cannot compare to mine."

Carlotta sang some notes of the opera, and thought to herself that her voice was as beautiful as ever.

That night, Richard and Montcharmin sat in Box 5. They had sat there quietly for 10 minutes when Richard whispered, "Have you heard the ghost yet, Montcharmin?"

"Be patient, Richard," he replied "The opera has just started. Give the ghost time to get here. Perhaps he is late from an evening party!" They both laughed.

The first part of the opera ended, and nothing strange had happened Margarita's first appearance was in Act Two. As she stood behind the curtains, Carlotta felt excited She would show Christine that she was not afraid and that she was the best singer in the Paris Opera House! It would take more than a letter to scare off the great Carlotta.

Carlotta walked onto the stage proudly. In a beautiful, clear voice she sang, "Will its melody surround me? CR-OACKKK!"

Amazed, Carlotta began the song again. "And a deep ... CR-OACKKK! I feel without?" The people in the audience were amazed and horrified. Were the ugly, frog-like sounds really coming out of Carlotta's mouth?

Carlotta tried singing the song a few more times. Each time, only a terrible sound would come out. The audience stared at her and whispered to themselves.

"Someone has put a magic spell on Carlotta!" someone cried out.

The entire audience became upset and worried. "Why is this happening?" everyone wanted to know.

Inside Box 5, both Richard and Montcharmin realized that there was another person in the box with them. They heard soft sounds, and the sound of someone breathing. Horrified, the two men looked around the box, but there was no one there. Both men heard a deep, cold voice say, "I warned you, gentlemen. You dared to disobey the Phantom of the Opera, and now you will suffer for it!"

The men heard a loud noise. It came from the ceiling. They looked up at the large, beautiful chandelier that hung from the opera house's ceiling. As the two men watched their bodies frozen with fear, the enormous chandelier fell. It landed on the people who were sitting below it and it killed some of them. The thousands of people in the theater began to run towards the doors, screaming and pushing each other. Richard and Montcharmin had paid a terrible price for their treatment of the Phantom. The Paris Opera House was cursed!

(end of section)