The Phantom of the Opera
[1929 reissue]
1
Sanctuary of song lovers,
The Paris Opera
House, rising nobly over
medieval torture cham-
bers, hidden dungeons,
long forgotten.
2
Melody floats through
hall and corridor
even to the executive
offices, where a strange
deal is being closed.
3
"Now the Notary's seal,
gentlemen, and you are
the fortunate new
owners."
4
"It is barely possible
you may hear of a
ghost, a Phantom of
the Opera!"
5
"The attendant of Box
Five will not laugh
when you ask about
the opera ghost!"
6
"You jest, Messieurs!
We are not children!"
7
"Who occupies Box
Five?"
8
"I do not know."
9
"I have seen only the
cloaked figure of a
man who hides his
face and will not speak!"
10
"Is it the Phantom?"
11
"The Phantom! The
Phantom is up from
the cellars again!"
12
"We saw him for an
instant - - a gray
shadow - - and he
was gone!"
13
"He had no nose!"
14
"Yes, he did, it was
enormous!"
15
"That man came out
of the cellars - just
after we saw the
Phantom. Could it
be that he - ?"
16
"Joseph Buquet has
really seen the
Phantom! Let's ask
him -"
17
"His eyes are ghastly
beads in which there
is no light - like holes
in a grinning skull!"
18
"His face is like leprous
parchment, yellow skin
strung tight over
protruding bones!"
19
"His nose - there
is no nose!"
20
"Have a care, Buquet -
ghosts like not to be
seen or talked about!"
21
"Come, I'll show you
where I saw him -
in the scene-dock of
the third cellar."
22
"I saw him there! A
flash of shadow, and
he was gone!"
23
"My daughter, Carlotta,
has been insulted!
She, the favorite prima
donna of the Paris
Opera!"
24
"No ghost will frighten
Carlotta! Wednesday
evening you will hear
her singing!"
25
Wednesday night found
Mlle. Carlotta strangely
ill, and Christine Daa�
singing "Marguerite".
26
"What is this I hear
about Christine favor-
ing some mysterious
admirer, instead of
you, Raoul?"
27
"Don't worry, my dear
Brother - nothing shall
interfere with our love."
28
"I hear a lot of rumors,
Raoul - be careful!"
29
"At last you have realized
your ambition, my darling,
and now we shall be
married."
30
"I can never leave
the Opera, Raoul.
You must forget
our love."
31
From hidden places
beyond the walls a
melodious voice, like the
voice of an angel, spoke
to her.
32
"Christine, tonight I
placed the world
at your feet!"
33
"To you I have imparted
the full measure of
my art. You will
triumph - all Paris will
worship you!"
34
"But I warn you, you
must forget all worldly
things and think only
of your career - and
your Master!"
35
"Soon, Christine, this
spirit will take form
and command your
love!"
36
"Call for me when
you will. I shall
be waiting."
37
In Mlle. Carlotta's corres-
pondence there appeared
another letter, edged in
black!
38
"Christine Daa�'s friends
are plotting again! But
my daughter shall sing
tomorrow night, come
what may!"
39
Encouraged by her
mother, Carlotta
defied every warning,
and the following
evening appeared as
- "Marguerite".
40
"So far so good -
for a house with a
curse on it!"
41
"Behold! She is singing
to bring down the
chandelier!"
42
"Christine, I have come
for you -"
43
"I am ready, Master -
waiting!"
44
"Walk to your mirror,
my dear - - have no
fear!"
45
"Christine, it is I -
your Master!"
46
"Look not upon my
mask - think rather
of my devotion which
has brought you the
gift of song."
47
A black lake, hidden
from man and the
sun, leading to the
Phantom's rendezvous.
48
"I have brought you
here - - five cellars
underground -"
49
"- because I love you!"
50
"For long weary
months I have
awaited this hour!"
51
"So that which is good
within me, aroused by
your purity, might
plead for your love."
52
"That is where I sleep."
53
"It keeps me reminded
of that other dream-
less sleep that cures
all ills - forever!"
54
"You - You are the
Phantom!"
55
"If I am the Phantom,
it is because man's
hatred has made me
so."
56
"If I shall be saved, it
will be because your
love redeems me."
57
"Men once knew me as
Erik, but for many
years I have lived in
these cellars, a name-
less legend."
58
The night passed -
a night of vague
horrors - - tortured
dreams - -
59
"Since first I saw your
face, this music has
been singing to me of
you and of - - love
triumphant!"
60
"Yet listen - - there
sounds an ominous
undercurrent of
warning!"
61
"Feast your eyes -
glut your soul, on my
accursed ugliness!"
62
"Oh, mad Christine,
who would not heed
my warning!"
63
"If you love me, as
you say, let me go.
I promise to be
your slave forever!"
64
"I shall prove to you
the depth of my love.
You may return to
your world for the
present. You may sing
in the opera once more."
65
"But, remember, you are
mine - mine - and you
shall not see your lover
again! If you do, it is
death to you both!"
66
"Oh, I swear it, I swear
it! I shall never see
him again!"
67
ONE night each year,
all Paris mingled, for-
getful of caste - - the
merry, mad Bal Masque de
l'Opera.
68
INTO the midst of the
revelry, strode a
spectral figure, robed
in red.
69
"Beneath your dancing feet
are the tombs of tortured
men - thus does the
Red Death rebuke your
merriment!"
70
"Don't let him see us,
Raoul - or it is death
for us both!"
71
High above Paris -
on the roof of
the Opera!
72
"Are we alone, Raoul?
Can anyone overhear
what we say?"
73
"I have seen him,
Raoul! I have seen
the Phantom!"
74
"He is a monster - a
loathsome beast!
You must save me
from him, Raoul!"
75
"Mlle. Carlotta, under
the spell of his curse
will never sing again.
Tomorrow I take her
place in Faust. After
the performance you
must take me away!"
76
"I shall be at the stage
door. We will flee to
England."
77
"She has betrayed me!"
78
"Not that way -
this way!"
79
"That was the Opera
ghost!"
80
"This is your man,
Monsieur le Prefect -
The Phantom of the
Opera!"
81
At nine o'clock the
following evening a
mysterious barouche
stopped on the rotunda
side of the Opera.
82
"Wait for me at the
west gate."
83
"I have heard his voice
once more, Raoul. He
knows our plans - -
everything."
84
"Believe in my love,
Raoul. Save me
from that monster
- oh, save me!"
85
"My barouche is wait-
ing outside. We leave
immediately after the
performance!"
86
"Dry your tears, dear,
and hasten - - you
must make ready for
your performance!"
87
"Come quick! The
strangler's work
again!"
88
"It was there!"
89
"I saw the body
dangling in the
air!"
90
"My brother - - poor
Joseph, he knew too
much about the
Phantom!"
91
"The Punjab lasso - the
strangler's cord!"
92
"Assassin! Hide your-
self in the deepest
shadows - but I shall
find you out!"
93
Fear for his brother's
safety, brought Comte
de Chagny to the Opera
house that night.
94
"I think I can take you
to Christine Daa� - if
you do exactly as I
tell you."
95
"Who are you that
knows the Phantom's
secrets - and betrays
them?"
96
"I am Ledoux of the
Secret Police. I have
studied this Phantom
for months."
97
"I found this hiding place
deep within the torture
chambers where he
himself was confined
during the second
Revolution."
98
"Keep your hand up -
the strangler's noose
coils quick!"
99
"Your hand up - it
is a matter of life
or death!"
100
"The discovery of this
trap-door cost Joseph
Buquet his life."
101
"I am a messenger from
the shadows - - turn
back ere ye perish!"
102
"You lied to me! Do
you think you and
your lover could
cheat the Phantom?"
103
"Ungrateful fool! You
have spurned the spirit
that inspired you - -
the spirit that made
you great!"
104
"Now, you shall see the
evil spirit that makes
my evil face!"
105
"No longer like a toad
in these foul cellars
will I secrete the venom
of hatred - - for you
shall bring me love!"
106
"We should be within
his hiding place, now."
107
"We have fallen into
the room of many
mirrors - - the old
torture chamber!"
108
"I am human like other
men - - I will not
be cheated of my
happiness!"
109
"Raoul! Raoul! My
Brother - where are
you?"
110
"It seems we have
callers."
111
"Christine! Christine!
Can you hear me?"
112
"Your voice sounds
near - Try to find
a door that will
lead to us."
113
"Look about you -
try to learn where
he keeps the keys."
114
"The callers have
departed."
115
"I have discovered the
Phantom's hiding place
- tonight my brother
will be avenged!"
116
"Did you hear voices?"
117
"Perhaps we have
more callers."
118
HEAT - intolerable
heat!
119
"Fools - do they think
they can match their
wits against Erik?"
120
"What do you offer
for their lives?"
121
"Your answer quick -
they can survive but
a few moments!"
122
"Gunpowder!"
123
"You have your chance
of saving him. Will
you be the bride of
Erik, or do you prefer
to watch your lover
die?"
124
"If you turn the Scorpion
- you have said 'Yes' and
spared de Chagny."
125
"Turn the grasshopper
- - and the Opera
House is blown to a
thousand bits!"
126
"I'll do anything you
say, if you will only
save them!"
Finis
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