The Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 18: The Police Accuse Count Philippe

Raoul entered the managers' office.

"Where is Christine?" Raoul demanded to know.

The managers ignored him. They were too busy arguing with each other.

"If your pocket was pinned with the safety pin, how could the ghost take our twenty thousand francs?" asked Mocharmin.

"Are you accusing me of taking the francs?" roared Mr. Richard.

"What else can I believe?" Mr. Moncharmin shouted back.

At that momment, Mr. Mirfroid, the police detective, entered the room.

"Is Christine Daaé here?" Mr. Mirfoid asked the managers.

"Is she gone?" Mr. Moncharmin asked.

"That terrible monster has taken her! We must get her back!" Raoul interrupted.

"Who has taken her?" Mr. Mirfroid asked Raoul.

"Call him what you will. The Angel of Music. The Opera Ghost. They are one and the same. His real name is Erik. He is the monster who lives beneath the opera house!" Raoul shouted.

Mr. Mirfroid looked at Raoul. Then he looked over at Mr. Moncharmin and Mr. Richard.

"I see. Have the two of you ever seen or heard of an opera ghost?" Mr. Mirfroid asked the managers.

"Just this evening he stole my twenty thousand francs right out of my pocket. And my pocket was securely pinned!" Mr. Richard said angrily.

Mr. Mirfroid looked around. He was sure that all three men were out of their minds.

"Well, a ghost who carries off an opera singer and twenty thousand francs on the same evening must have his hands full," Mr. Mirfroid joked.

Raoul, Mr. Moncharmin, and Mr. Richard began to speak at once. Just then another detective entered the room. He whispered something to Mr. Mirfroid. Mr. Mirfroid turned to Raoul.

"Sir, I understand that were planning on running away with Miss Daaé tonight," he said.

"Yes, until that monster carried her off," Raoul answered.

"Perhaps it was your brother who took Miss Daaé," Mr. Mirfroid suggested. "Perhaps he did this to prevent you from keeping your engagement and making your escape."

"Impossible!" Raoul said.

"Are you sure, sir?" Mr. Mirfroid asked. "Your brother's carriage was seen racing away right after Miss Daaé disappered."

Raoul thought for a moment. He remebered how just that morning his brother had said he would stop him from marrying Christine.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mirfroid. That doesn't solve the mystery of our missing twenty thousand francs," Mr. Richard noted.

Mr. Richard and Mr. Moncharmin started to yell and accuse each other all over again. Raoul raced out of the managers' office, down a long, dark passageway. If Philippe had taken Chrisitne, Raoul would rescue her.

A figure blocked his way.

"Where are you going, sir?" asked a voice.

Raoul squinted in the dark at a pair of jade-green eyes.

"You again! Who are you?" Raoul asked.

"I am the only one who can help you," the foreign stranger replied.