Personal Relations with the Opera Ghost Before following the commissary into the manager's office Imust describe certain extraordinary occurrences that took place in that office which Remy and Mercier had vainly tried to enter and into which MM.Richard and Moncharmin had locked themselves with an object which the reader does not yet know, but which it is my duty, as an historian, to reveal without further postponement.
I have had occasion to say that the managers' mood had undergone a disagreeable change for some time past and to convey the fact that this change was due not only to the fall of the chandelier on the famous night of the gala performance.
The reader must know that the ghost had calmly been paid his first twenty thousand francs.Oh, there had been wailing and gnashing of teeth, indeed! And yet the thing had happened as simply as could be.
One morning, the managers found on their table an envelope addressed to "Monsieur O.G.(private)" and accompanied by a note from O.G.himself:
The time has come to carry out the clause in the memorandum-book.
Please put twenty notes of a thousand francs each into this envelope, seal it with your own seal and hand it to Mme.Giry, who will do what is necessary.
The managers did not hesitate; without wasting time in asking how these confounded communications came to be delivered in an office which they were careful to keep locked, they seized this opportunity of laying hands, on the mysterious blackmailer.
And, after telling the whole story, under the promise of secrecy, to Gabriel and Mercier, they put the twenty thousand francs into the envelope and without asking for explanations, handed it to Mme.Giry, who had been reinstated in her functions.The box-keeper displayed no astonishment.I need hardly say that she was well watched.
She went straight to the ghost's box and placed the precious envelope on the little shelf attached to the ledge.The two managers, as well as Gabriel and Mercier, were hidden in such a way that they did not lose sight of the envelope for a second during the performance and even afterward, for, as the envelope had not moved, those who watched it did not move either; and Mme.Giry went away while the managers, Gabriel and Mercier were still there.
At last, they became tired of waiting and opened the envelope, after ascertaining that the seals had not been broken.
At first sight, Richard and Moncharmin thought that the notes were still there; but soon they perceived that they were not the same.
The twenty real notes were gone and had been replaced by twenty notes, of the "Bank of St.Farce"![2]
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[2] Flash notes drawn on the "Bank of St.Farce" in France correspond with those drawn on the "Bank of Engraving" in England.--Translator's Note.
The managers' rage and fright were unmistakable.Moncharmin wanted to send for the commissary of police, but Richard objected.
He no doubt had a plan, for he said:
"Don't let us make ourselves ridiculous! All Paris would laugh at us.
O.G.has won the first game: we will win the second."He was thinking of the next month's allowance.
Nevertheless, they had been so absolutely tricked that they were bound to suffer a certain dejection.And, upon my word, it was not difficult to understand.We must not forget that the managers had an idea at the back of their minds, all the time, that this strange incident might be an unpleasant practical joke on the part of their predecessors and that it would not do to divulge it prematurely.
On the other hand, Moncharmin was sometimes troubled with a suspicion of Richard himself, who occasionally took fanciful whims into his head.And so they were content to await events, while keeping an eye on Mother Giry.Richard would not have her spoken to.
"If she is a confederate," he said, "the notes are gone long ago.
But, in my opinion, she is merely an idiot.""She's not the only idiot in this business," said Moncharmin pensively.
"Well, who could have thought it?" moaned Richard."But don't be afraid...next time, I shall have taken my precautions."The next time fell on the same day that beheld the disappearance of Christine Daae.In the morning, a note from the ghost reminded them that the money was due.It read:
Do just as you did last time.It went very well.Put the twenty thousand in the envelope and hand it to our excellent Mme.Giry.
And the note was accompanied by the usual envelope.They had only to insert the notes.
This was done about half an hour before the curtain rose on the first act of Faust.Richard showed the envelope to Moncharmin.
Then he counted the twenty thousand-franc notes in front of him and put the notes into the envelope, but without closing it.
"And now," he said, "let's have Mother Giry in."The old woman was sent for.She entered with a sweeping courtesy.
She still wore her black taffeta dress, the color of which was rapidly turning to rust and lilac, to say nothing of the dingy bonnet.
She seemed in a good temper.She at once said:
"Good evening, gentlemen! It's for the envelope, I suppose?""Yes, Mme.Giry," said Richard, most amiably."For the envelope...and something else besides.""At your service, M.Richard, at your service.And what is the something else, please?""First of all, Mme.Giry, I have a little question to put to you.""By all means, M.Richard: Mme.Giry is here to answer you.""Are you still on good terms with the ghost?""Couldn't be better, sir; couldn't be better.""Ah, we are delighted....Look here, Mme.Giry," said Richard, in the tone of making an important confidence."We may just as well tell you, among ourselves...you're no fool!""Why, sir," exclaimed the box-keeper, stopping the pleasant nodding of the black feathers in her dingy bonnet, "I assure you no one has ever doubted that!""We are quite agreed and we shall soon understand one another.
The story of the ghost is all humbug, isn't it?...Well, still between ourselves,...it has lasted long enough."Mme.Giry looked at the managers as though they were talking Chinese.
