The Violist

Part IV Unearthly

Part IV Unearthly

"I hear he is looking for someone to court," Renée said excitedly to the other girls huddled around. Rehearsals were finished for the day and the chorus girl was leading the gossip as usual. It was more of her expressing her dreams to the group than anything. "Imagine the Comte arriving and sweeping a low born girl such as one of us off her feet."

Some of the girls giggled while others looked as if they were swooning from the thought, including Meg. Juliette only rolled her eyes, not caring much.

"Would you not like to marry up in society?" Renée asked, noticing Juliette's disinterest.

Her heart began to race as everyone's eyes turned to her. She did not like being the center of attention. In an effort to quickly conform, she said, "I suppose it would not be so terrible."

Renée was clearly a girl who spoke her mind, not caring who heard or what anyone thought. She continued to ramble and for a reason unknown to Juliette, the rest of the girls all listened. "I still cannot believe how Christine Daaé had two, wealthy men seeking her affection and she ruined it for herself."

Juliette recalled Meg telling her of a girl named Christine when she first arrived, but she had not heard the name since. "What happened?"

The chorus all gasped and glanced around the theatre and to each other. "You haven't heard the story?" one girl asked in disbelief.

"I told you when you arrived. Do you not remember?" Meg questioned. She almost sounded hopeful.

"You didn't tell me much."

Renée seemed all too eager to tell the story, some of the other girls adding details as she explained. Apparently, Christine was brought to the Opéra at a young age after the passing of her father, only to fall victim to Monsieur Destler's infatuation. While none of the girls claimed to know the actual truth of the tale, they gave Juliette their best guesses of the events resulting in Christine leaving the Opéra.

The version of the story that the girls compiled was that after the masked man had purchased the opera house and discovered the beautiful, young talent, he planned to make her primadonna. He vigorously trained her, Christine having little to no choice in the matter. It was rumored that he threatened her and the Vicomte who was a patron at the time and was courting her. Some said that she was often found in hysterics during the time this was all happening, while others claimed she seemed the happiest she had ever been.  Towards the very end of her time at the Opéra, everyone who could recall was in agreement that she was a hollow form of what she once was. Her voice lacked the passion that she was known to portray and her eyes were the dullest blue one could imagine.

Renée expressed her strong suspicions that Monsieur Destler's relationship with Christine was far beyond what a teacher-student association should have been. "She selfishly led both of them on until she ended up with neither."

One of the girls disagreed, "She could not have been willing when it came to Monsieur Destler. What girl would readily go to bed with a man who's face is half concealed?"

Some of the girls nodded, while others gave their own opinions. There was not an agreed upon scenario of what exactly happened between the Victome, Christine, and Erik. However, whatever did occur resulted in the loss of le Victome de Chagny's patronage and the disappearance of Mademoiselle Daaé. Christine was not technically missing in terms of the law, however she told nobody of her whereabouts to any of their knowledge.