He filled Christine's mind, through the terror with which he inspired
her, but the dear child's heart belonged wholly to the Vicomte Raoul de
Chagny. While they played about, like an innocent engaged couple, on
the upper floors of the Opera, to avoid the monster, they little
suspected that some one was watching over them. I was prepared to do
anything: to kill the monster, if necessary, and explain to the police
afterward. But Erik did not show himself; and I felt none the more
comfortable for that.
I must explain my whole plan. I thought that the monster, being driven
from his house by jealousy, would thus enable me to enter it, without
danger, through the passage in the third cellar. It was important, for
everybody's sake, that I should know exactly what was inside. One day,
tired of waiting for an opportunity, I moved the stone and at once
heard an astounding music: the monster was working at his Don Juan
Triumphant, with every door in his house wide open. I knew that this
was the work of his life. I was careful not to stir and remained
prudently in my dark hole.
He stopped playing, for a moment, and began walking about his place,
like a madman. And he said aloud, at the top of his voice: "It must be finished FIRST! Quite finished!"
This speech was not calculated to reassure me and, when the music
recommenced, I closed the stone very softly.
On the day of the abduction of Christine Daae, I did not come to the
theater until rather late in the evening, trembling lest I should hear
bad news. I had spent a horrible day, for, after reading in a morning
paper the announcement of a forthcoming marriage between Christine and
the Vicomte de Chagny, I wondered whether, after all, I should not do
better to denounce the monster. But reason returned to me, and I was
persuaded that this action could only precipitate a possible
catastrophe.
When, my cab set me down before the Opera, I was really almost
astonished to see it still standing! But I am something of a fatalist,
like all good Orientals, and I entered ready, for anything.
Christine Daae's abduction in the Prison Act, which naturally surprised
everybody, found me prepared. I was quite certain that she had been
juggled away by Erik, that prince of conjurers. And I thought
positively that this was the end of Christine and perhaps of everybody,
so much so that I thought of advising all these people who were staying
on at the theater to make good their escape. I felt, however, that
they would be sure to look upon me as mad and I refrained.