| Page 50 | |
| -Cling Cling-
Phantom/erik-'We have visitors. Someone is adrift on the lake. Perhaps, now my dearest Christine, I may illustrate how truly ingenious I can Be!' The opened drain carried the intruders into a more precarious location. An underwater world where their breath was sucked from their lungs. Still, the water carried them on. |
| Page 51 | |
| Soon the surging water resided... ...Leaving the Pearsian and Raoul in a mirrored chamber... ...A horror chamber cursed with a scorching light. |
| Page 52 | |
| Phantom/erik-'Feast your eyes on our visitors.
Your beloved Raoul has decided to pay us a visit. It seems he has my old
friend, the dagroda, with him. We shall soon see if they like the accomodations
I've probided for them. I'll serenade our guests with a brief melody from
Don Juan Triumphant. Perhaps it'll ease their departure, soon, my electrical
sun will drain every ounce of fluid from their bodies.'
Raoul-'Will this ghost not stop his madness?' The Persian-'Erik, will you show us no mercy? Do you not recall the execution I saved you from, so many years ago, in Tehran?' Raoul-'Can you not spare us some water?' Christine-'Let them live Erik. If you realease them, I'll stay with you. Please...' |
| Page 53 |  |
| Phantom/erik-'Remember the gold ring meant nothing
to you... ...This vow must be made on my dead mother's locket. You must
kiss the locket and pledge that "Forever and a day do you belong to me."'
Christine-'I promise, "Forever and a day does my soul belong to you."' Phantom/erik-'And now, my dear dagroda, our score is settled as for you, De Chagny, Christine has agreed to be my wife. The day you see Christine again, will surely be the last day of your life.' |
| Page 54 | |
| -Cling Clang-
Phantom/erik-'I believe we have guests. The tunnel I just dragged your miserable bodies from also leads to the Rue De Scribe exit. I will keep the main water valve closed for one full hour -- More than enough time for the both of you to complete your departure, and now, Adieu gentlemen. The Persian-'It appears that relief is at hand.' Phantom/erik-'Relief? That mob will surely seal everyone's fate. The area they're entering is covered with explosives. They'll bring the opera house down on us all!' |
| Page 55 | |
| The Persian-'There's so many of them. Surely
one of them will trip the explosives.'
Raoul-'Buquet is no one to reckon with. His brother's death has angered his rage. I'm certain he won't stop with the phantom's death. The Persian-'You mean Buquet believes Christine to be one of the Phantom's followers?' Raoul-'Exactly, I'm afraid his mob won't just vent their anger on the Phantom.' The Persian-'We'll all be judged as the Phantom's cohorts.' Christine-'Isn't there anything you could do?' Erik/phantom-'perhaps... I could divert the mob from the mined cavern. The three of you could find safety in the Rue De Scribe tunnel.' Christine-'No, Erik! I'll wait here in the Mansion for you to return.' |
| Page 56 | |
| Christine pleaded with Erik, asking him not to
leave the safety of the mansion. Her objection meant little to him. He
finally left the mansion to greet Buquet's mob.
Phantom/erik-'So, Buquet and his army or rabble want to meet the Phantom. Well I won't disappoint them. Let them, one and all, meet the phantom! Erik will not cower in their presence. I've some surprises for Buquet. This is my domain -- not his! Ah, the entrance to the precipice overlooking the underground lake. We'll see who rules this domain. Soon we'll see, my dear Buquet!' Buquet's brother-'There he is, brothers! I told you our opera ghost was flesh and blood. Perhaps now we can send him to his eternal damnation!' Phantom/erik-'Do not tempt me, fools. This is my domain -- You have entered uninvited, and you will pay a terrible price.' Buquet's brother-'he's ours, now-- A blow for my brother Joseph!' Man1-'Smash him to pieces!' Man2-'We'll crush the fiend's bones to powder!' Man3-'I want his skull! His empty eye sockets will serve as candle holders!' |
| Page 57 | |
| Finally, Buquest's men began to surround Erik.
Phantom/Erik-'Stand back if you don't want to be blown to bits. I've got a vial of nitroglycerin!' The vial was merely a diversion, but it allowed Erik enough time to escape from Buquet's mob. The Persian-'Hurry! If Erik is unsuccessful, then Buquet's men will enter the mine field. Then we'll all be trapped in the tunnel.' Christine-'No! I told Erik I would stay. I can't break my promise to him -- Not this time.' Erik's thoughts-'She's gone. Was her promise to me all that fleeting? Soon it won't really matter.' |
| Page 58 |   |
| Erik/phantom-'If there is a God, let him view
me wearing the face of a galahad.'
But the mob was just moments from the entrance. Erik/phantom-'Soon the mob will be at my steps and the explosive charges will seal my mansion "Forever and a day."' The Blast was heard by shop keepers many stories above ground. Signs rattled, windows shattered, and Parisians wondered what could have caused such a blast. |
| Page 59 | |
| Yes, there you have it the explosion sealed Erik's
fate, it brought an end to his tortured existence.
The Persian-'No, my friend, Mauclair is a thief. He had nothing to do with the magnificent genius surrounding Don Juan Triumphant. During one of his many excavation campaigns to the cellars, he found the lost composition. Mauclair merely claimed it as his own work.' |
| Page 60 | |
| The Persian-'So long ago. He is a memory now.
Yes, a ghost from so many years ago. Once, sir, we were friends, when I
was the dagroda of Tehran. I saved him from an execution in Tehran. He
was known as Erik, the man with a human death's head. Such a waste! His
horrible deformity... Think of it, my dear Leroux! What a benefit poor
erik would have been to mankind, had he been born with a "normal" face.'
Leroux-'An incredible story, Dagroda. But this seems to be a ghost story. A ghost story. A ghost story told on a long winter's night. Have you any proof?' The Persian-'You want proof? A piece of evidence to prove to your editors at Le Martin that you may yet right the wrong that has been done? If my worthless legs would carry me, I'd take you to the underground mansion myself. Why not! It's been desecrated by Mauclair and his worthless thugs.' |
| Page 61 |  |
| Leroux-'Master, what of the ring the phantom
gave Christine?'
The Persian-'Of course! I'd almost forgotten about the ring. Perhaps that'll be proof enough. It's inscribed with the very words from his opera. "Forever and a day does your soul belong to me."' Leroux-'Incredible, dagroda! And what of Christine and the Vicomte De Chagny?' The Persian-'Christine married Raoul. It wasn't a happy union. The Vicomte often claimed that her heart and soul had ventured elsewhere. Still, he loved her. And in her way, she thought much of him.' She died mysteriously four years ago. The Vicomte claimed she died of a broken heart. She never really forgave him for pulling her from Erik's side in the underground mansion. |
| Page 62 | |
| The Vicomte had her put to rest at her Father's
side in Perros Guirec. She was wearing Margarita's costume from Faust.
It was the only role she ever sang publicly. After the explosion in the
underground mansion, she resigned her position with the opera company.
Soon her name was just a forgotten memory with the opera subscribers. The
Vicomte held up well through the years. We spoke briefly and he handed
me the gold ring. He said it was her last wish that it be returned to Erik
in the underground mansion. The following year, the Vicomte died in a horrible
automobile accident near his family's estate in Normandy.
The Persian-'The ring is proof enough! You must make good on my promise to the Vicomte and return the ring to the underground mansion. My legs are worthless, but my servant Darius, knows the way. He will take you there.' You can still enter the cellars through the Rue De Scribe entrance. The Rue De Scribe entrance leads to the main tunnel. The fallen chandelier marks the passage to the underground lake. The scene shifters carried it there years ago, believing it was haunted. It's very presence kept vandals from the mansion. You needn't worry about the underground lake. It was drained after the explosion. Erik's mansion is located at the far side of the lake. |
| Page 63 | |
| The entrance to the Phantom's mansion is buried beneath the wreckage from the explosion, but Mauclair often bragged to a select few of how he forged his entrance through the bones of the dead scene shifters. Once inside, you'll find the phantom's barrel-shaped organ... The very one on which he created Don Juan Triumphant. His remains are still there, Leroux. You'll be able to tell his skeleton from the others by the shape of the skull. Perhaps there'll be a locket containing the portrait of his mother. Perhaps Mauclair overlooked it when he stole the composition. Mauclair claimed the explosion killed him but no-- The Phantom died of a broken heart. perhaps, someday, Leroux... Someday, The world will know the truth surrounding Don Juan Triumphant. |
| Page 64 | |
| *Picture of Erik on his knees* |
| Page 65 | |
| Book Design & Editing By: George J. Broderick,
Jr.
Production Assistance By: John Newton & Mark Bernardo |
| Back Cover |  |
| The Phantom of the Opera
Mitchell Perkins Wanda Daughton Vickie WIlliams Innovation Books Innovation logo TM Innovation Corp. TM & @ 1991 Michell Perkins & Wanda Daughton $6.95 U.S./$7.95 Can. Illustrated Fantasy |
