The Phantom of the Opera

As it approached, he saw that a woman was leaning her head from the

window. And, suddenly, the moon shed a pale gleam over her features.

"Christine!"

The sacred name of his love had sprung from his heart and his lips. He

could not keep it back... He would have given anything to withdraw it,

for that name, proclaimed in the stillness of the night, had acted as

though it were the preconcerted signal for a furious rush on the part

of the whole turn-out, which dashed past him before he could put into

execution his plan of leaping at the horses' heads. The carriage

window had been closed and the girl's face had disappeared. And the

brougham, behind which he was now running, was no more than a black

spot on the white road.

He called out again: "Christine!"

No reply. And he stopped in the midst of the silence.

With a lack-luster eye, he stared down that cold, desolate road and

into the pale, dead night. Nothing was colder than his heart, nothing

half so dead: he had loved an angel and now he despised a woman!

Raoul, how that little fairy of the North has trifled with you! Was it

really, was it really necessary to have so fresh and young a face, a

forehead so shy and always ready to cover itself with the pink blush of

modesty in order to pass in the lonely night, in a carriage and pair,

accompanied by a mysterious lover? Surely there should be some limit

to hypocrisy and lying! ...

She had passed without answering his cry ... And he was thinking of

dying; and he was twenty years old! ...

His valet found him in the morning sitting on his bed. He had not

undressed and the servant feared, at the sight of his face, that some

disaster had occurred. Raoul snatched his letters from the man's

hands. He had recognized Christine's paper and hand-writing. She said: DEAR: Go to the masked ball at the Opera on the night after to-morrow. At

twelve o'clock, be in the little room behind the chimney-place of the

big crush-room. Stand near the door that leads to the Rotunda. Don't

mention this appointment to any one on earth. Wear a white domino and

be carefully masked. As you love me, do not let yourself be

recognized. CHRISTINE.