Limelight

Chapter Ten: Practice of Act III

Chapter Ten: Practice of Act III

November 1st, 1910

Victoria's hand slipped into mine "Who's jacket is that, sissy?" Asked she, looking up to me as the managers conversed quietly and the performers broke into groups on the stage.

"No one's, darling" I replied, taking off the Vicomte's jacket and laying it on the blue, fabric chair prop; revealing my violet dress that my mother gave to me as a Christmas present. I glanced up from Victoria to find Christy staring in disgust at me, she quickly turned back to her two friends, one was Dawn, a tenor with black hair and evil, brown eyes and the other was Mary, a brunette with shining, green eyes. Victoria told me that Mary had only recently been recruited to Christy's little gang; Christy, herself, was a blonde like me, with green eyes and a hard look to her face. Ever since Mamma Giry and Victoria convinced me to audition for a space in the Opera Populaire family Christy has loathed me; Mamma says because I am a major threat to Christy, but I feel that something more is going on than just that jealousy. The managers turned to us and called us to their attention.

"My wonderful chorus girls, ballet dancers, sopranos, tenors, and my delightful Margarita...we are saddend to say that only one act out of Faust we can perform, for, someone has slashed all the other background scenes." Gasps came from the girls, then the girls started to whisper. "Never the less" M. Richard continued, silencing the girls "the scenes will be mended by to-morrow, the show will go on! But, for now, we must practice Act III, Elizabeth--or should I say Marguerite, to your window to sing to Faust for his quick return! To your places everyone!"

M. Richard cried, everyone started running and bumping into one another, attempting to carry out M. Richard's commands. After a few moments, the stage became quiet and all eyes turned to me, I sighed and felt my hands turn ice cold; the words I remembered so clearly, but my voice wouldn't spill from my mouth until the music from the piano began. I sang, like I sang only nights beforehand, pouring a bit of my life into every word and feeling my energy drop with every phrase.

  Fain would I know the name

Of the fair youth I met ?

Fain would I his birth

And station also know ? 

His manner was so gentle ! 'Twas true politeness!

I knew not what to say! My face red with blushes!

At this moment, someone knocked on a cardboard door to my character's cottage.

But what is this ?

From whom did this splendid casket

come?

I dare not touch it —

Yet see, here is the key! — I'll take

one look, How I tremble — yet why ? — can it be

Much harm just to look in a casket?  (A 'casket' in this pretense isn't something that you bury someone in. It's just a box.)

Now, I opened the red, silken box covered in shiny jewels, and my eyes had never beheld such beauty; the necklaces and jewels were real. No props, no plastic rubies or diamonds...these were real; you see, my uncle was a jeweler and cut stones for a living, he taught me the real from the fictional...and these were as real as it got. A ruby in a jewel studded, silver, bracelet was the size of my thumb nail! There was a beautiful, diamond necklace and the diamond could completely cover my eye! My breath was caught in my throat...and everyone thought I was acting.

"Brilliant! That's exactly the reaction I want from you! All of you, look at this, look at Elizabeth's acting skills! See how she looks so surprised and baffled at this gift, I want the rest of you to act in your lines as wonderfully as she does! Well done, Margarita! Well done" M. Richard cried, standing from his seat and clapping, I looked up from the box and gave a nervous glance to Victoria, this glance I also gave to Mamma Giry.

Two hours later, after practice finished...

"Mamma, Victoria, come close and look! See how they sparkle and shine? Feel them...feel their weight? They're real!" Said I watching Victoria's eyes enlarge as she put the diamond up to her eye and peeked through, Victoria now pulled the diamond away and moved rummaged through the jewelry; then the little ballet dancer gave a cry.

"Sissy, sissy look! It's an envelope with your name on it!" She cried, breathlessly; I pushed to Mamma the box and took up the envelope with trembling hands, anxious to hear what the Opera Ghost said.

Lovely Elizabeth,

These jewels do not even begin to explain your beauty, but please, take them as a token of my appreciation and love. Beautiful Margarita, look not to the faces made by the horrid soprano called 'Christy' but to your own, in your mirror. Think not of her jealousy and think not of the Vicomte's pleas...think only of your fairness and wonder of voice. If you will think of nothing else...think of me. You will, no doubt, delight the audience as you have done before in your performance in Faust; and I am so eager to hear your voice reverberate from the walls once more. Whilst Christy sings to bring the chandelier down...

P.S. How did you like the English sweets?

Love, From Box Five,

    The Opera Ghost.

I read this note in a whisper to Mamma Giry and Victoria, for, we were still backstage and I feared of eavesdroppers. I looked up to Mamma and smiled, I had an idea...a wonderful, awful...idea.