CHAPTER SEVEN

The Costume Ball

While Christine was trapped in Erik's underground home, Raoul was desperately searching for her. He knew Christine had disappeared after the chandelier had fallen from the Opera House's ceiling. Raoul asked everyone at the Opera House about her, but no one knew where she was. He even returned to Perros, hoping to find her there. But the woman she sometimes stayed with had not seen her.

After two weeks of searching, Raoul was ready to give up. He did not know what to think. Was Christine dead? Why would she leave so suddenly? His heart was broken, because he could not find the woman he loved. Suddenly, he received a letter from Christine.

Raoul,

The Opera House is having a costume ball in two days. If you want to see me, you must come there dressed as a white domino. Wear a white mask, and do not let anyone recognize you! Whatever you do, tell no one about this.

Christine

Raoul was overjoyed. Finally he had heard from Christine, and she wanted to see him! But why was she being so strange and mysterious? Then he remembered her ideas about the Angel of Music. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

Had Christine actually seen this Angel of Music? Or, met someone who was pretending to be this Angel? Was she in love with him? Though Raoul did not believe in the Angel of Music, he still wondered.

For the next two days Raoul thought of nothing but Christine. However, he did buy a white domino costume, as she had asked.

The evening of the ball, Raoul hurried to the Opera House. He stood by the door and watched the guests arrive. Soon, a person dressed in a black domino costume walked by slowly. When no one was looking, the person took Raoul's hand. "Christine, is that you?" he whispered excitedly. The black domino said nothing, but made a sign for him to follow. She put a finger over her mouth, warning Raoul to keep silent. "Keep calm," she whispered. It was definitely Christine's voice!

Raoul followed her as they walked slowly through the crowd of laughing, talking people. This time he was determined not to lose her! He was sure she would tell him where she had been.

As they entered the dancing room, they noticed a group of people standing together looking at something. Raoul went over to see what it was. A man stood there, dressed in a strange costume. The entire costume was a bright red color. The man wore a huge hat full of feathers, and a long red cloak. On the cloak Raoul saw black letters that read "Do not touch me, I am the Red Death." However, the most horrible part was the man's face. It looked worse than a monster's—it was like a skeleton, with holes for eyes and a mouth and burned skin!

Somehow, Raoul felt that this man had something to do with Christine. He had the desire to kill the man, and to protect Christine from him.

Christine grabbed Raoul's hand and pulled him away from the Red Death. They found a staircase. Christine ran up the stairs, pulling Raoul after her. When they reached the third floor, she pulled Raoul into an opera box and slammed the door. But, suddenly, Raoul heard running steps up the stairs and saw a man dressed in red! "Let me out, Christine," he cried. "He will not escape me this time!"

"What do you mean? Who are you talking about?" she cried.

Christine threw herself in front of the door and spread her arms out. Although Raoul tried, he could not move her. Suddenly he thought he understood everything. It was because she loved this man, and wanted him to escape!

"I am talking about the Red Death, your Angel of Music," Raoul cried. "He is also the Phantom of the Opera!"

Raoul took off his mask and looked at Christine. She was breathing hard and had a wild look in her eyes. He said, "Christine, I'm going to bring that coward in here and make him remove that horrible mask. Then we will know who you truly love."

Raoul, of course, did not know that Erik, dressed as the Red Death, did not wear a mask. That horrible face was real!

"Raoul, you must believe me. You do not know what you are saying. In the name of our love, I will not let you near that man!" Christine said firmly.

Raoul had been trying to open the door again, but suddenly he stopped. Had Christine just said "our love"? She had never said she loved him before.

"No," he thought. "She's trying to save this Phantom of the Opera, her Angel of Music. She's been with him all this time—she wants him to escape!"

Raoul became very sad and jealous. He believed he had lost Christine.

He said some very cruel things to Christine. He told her she was only pretending to love him.

His words hurt Christine badly, and made her angry. She had wanted to see Raoul tonight to tell him about Erik. She loved Raoul, and thought he would help and protect her from Erik's dangerous love. But now, she knew he would only be jealous and angry. He could not understand how sad Erik's life truly was, and how she was trapped.

Hiding her tears, she said, "Goodbye, Raoul. I wanted to tell you the truth, but I see now you can never understand. You do not trust me. Goodbye, you will never see me again."

Raoul heard the love, anger and sadness in Christine's voice. He realized he had made a mistake. He tried to stop her and apologize, but it was too late. Christine pulled away from him, opened the door to the box and left.

At first Raoul could not move. Then he ran back to the dance floor.

Raoul asked people where the man called the "Red Death" had gone. They told him the man had disappeared. Raoul looked all over the opera house for the man and Christine. Finally, at 2 o'clock in the morning, he was near Christine's dressing room.

He walked into the room but it was empty. He was about to leave a note for Christine when he heard someone coming into the room. Quickly, he hid in the closet. He saw Christine come in, and sit down in front of her mirror. She put her head on her hands and said, "Poor, poor Erik."

Raoul was angry. So all his jealous thoughts were true! Who was this Erik? Then, he heard a beautiful deep voice. It was very soft at first, but it became louder and louder. Suddenly, it seemed as if there was someone in the room with them.

Christine stood in front of the mirror. She stretched out her arms and said, "Erik, I am ready." Then, as Raoul watched, she seemed to walk into the mirror and disappear!

Raoul looked all over the room, but Christine was gone. He began to sob. He had lost Christine again, and this time, it might be forever.

(end of section)