CHAPTER SIX

The Man behind the Mask

When Christine woke up, she saw Erik sitting in a chair, looking at her. "You must be hungry—we will eat," he said. A deep sleep had calmed Christine. She agreed to stay and eat. Erik took her into a beautiful dining room full of candles and delicious food and wine. While they ate, Erik told Christine again that he loved her.

"Christine, I beg you to stay here for a short time. Just five days. I will spend these days teaching you about music. You will begin to know the man behind the mask. Then, I will let you go. I will only beg you to remember me here, under the ground in the darkness. When you can, come to me here." Erik's words made Christine feel sorry for him, and she agreed to do this.

After they had eaten, Erik told Christine he would show her the rest of his house. Christine agreed, and he reached over to take her hand. When she felt the touch of his hand she took hers away. His skin was as cold as death.

"I am sorry," Erik cried. "I will not touch you again."

Erik showed Christine the house's many rooms. They were all dark and had no windows, but very beautiful. "This man must be very wealthy, to have such a house," Christine thought. The last place Erik showed Christine was his own bedroom.

The bedroom looked as if it belonged to a dead person. The walls were painted black. In the center of the room there were thick red curtains. They surrounded an open coffin.

"This is where I sleep," said Erik.

Christine had to look away. What kind of a man would sleep in a coffin, as though he were dead? Instead, she looked at the large organ in the room. Next to the organ was a table covered with sheets of music. The music was written in a beautiful writing, with red ink. She walked over to look at the music. The name of the music was "Don Juan Triumphant"

Erik came over to the table and explained, "This is my opera. I have been working on it for twenty years. When it is finished, I will take it into my coffin with me and lay down to rest. That coffin will never open again."

"Do you work on it very often?" Christine said.

"Sometimes, I do nothing else ... For many days in a row I will not eat or sleep, only work. Then I will not touch it for many years." Erik replied.

"May I hear it?" Christine said. She wanted to know what the music of such a sad man would sound like.

"No, Christine. You do not want to hear, this opera is so sad that it would tear at your souL To hear my opera would frighten you. Let us sing Othello instead"

So they began their singing. Christine sang the part of Desdemona, and Erik sang the part of Othello, her husband. His voice was filled with love, jealousy and anger. Listening to his amazing voice, Christine felt she had to see the face behind the mask. Before Erik could stop her, she took the mask off Erik's face.

Erik's face was awful, disgusting; like the face of Death himself! Where the eyes, nose and mouth should be, there were only four bleeding holes. The skin was white and burned.

Erik screamed in shock and anger.

Christine was frightened. Now she knew why Erik always wore the mask. Covering her face with her hands, she ran to the wall and knelt there, as if she were trying to hide.

Erik ran over to her. He grabbed Christine and turned her around to face him. He brought his ugly face close to hers and, screamed like a crazy man. So you had to see my face, no matter what? Well, now you can! Look closely, Christine, until the memory is burned into your mind! Do you think this face is a mask too? Go on—try to take it off!"

Erik grabbed Christine's fingers and made her touch his ruined skin. He tore at his own face with her hands! His mouth made a horrible kind of smile. Christine screamed with terror, but Erik seemed not to care. He continued to ask her questions, as if she were a criminal.

"Why would you want to see my face, Christine ... Why? Why? My own father told me I was not his son, not even human. My mother was only a little better. She gave me the first mask, so she would never have to look at me. I disgusted her," he cried. "And now, Christine, you will never leave here. If you never saw my face you might believe I was handsome, and fall in love with me. Now that you know how horrible I truly look, I can't let you go. I love you, Christine, so you will stay here with me forever."

With those terrible words, Erik let go of Christine's body. Like an animal, he got down on his hands and knees and crawled over to the organ. He was sobbing loudly the whole time. While sobbing and laughing wildly at the same time, he began to play his opera, "Don Juan Triumphant."

As the music filled the room, Christine understood why Erik had forbidden her to hear the opera. The music was full of sadness, anger, and emotion. It was a long time before Christine had enough courage to walk over to him.

"Erik, look at me," she said. "I won't turn away, I promise."

Erik slowly turned and looked up at Christine. She did not look away, but instead stared at him with eyes full of fear, but also understanding and pity. Erik fell on his knees before her as if she were a goddess. He kept crying, "I love you, Christine."

For the next two weeks, Christine pretended that Erik's face did not scare and disgust her. Finally she was able to convince Erik that she would return to see him, so he let her leave his home.

(end of section)