Beauty Of Music

Chapter 4

After Christine and Catherine explained their situation to Monsieur Cholet, he glanced behind them and saw Carlotta had returned from her errands.

"Ah darling! My darling! This lovely young girl would like a place in the Orchestra and her sweet younger sister would like singing lessons. What can we do?" he explained to his wife.

"Nothing!" she answered abruptly.

She circled around her husband to get a closer look at the Daae sisters.

"You think this girl can play the Violin and this child can sing" she chuckled as she analysed the sister and saw Christine holding a Violin case in her left hand.

She began making her way up the stairs and her husband followed close behind her.

"Look at how they stand. Look at what they are wearing. Where did you grow up, on a farm?" she chuckled and addressed the Daae sisters, pausing after walking up three steps.

"Sort of Madame" answered Christine in a soft meek voice.

"The world of Opera has nothing to do with farm life. Why are you asking me this?" she informed the sisters and then addressed her husband.

"Because they have a patron who is powerful" Cholet answered in a nervous tone.

"Aha...there is only one way to learn to sing, observe singers. My dear I am going to do you a favour I am going to let you work for me" said Carlotta addressing Catherine after she contemplated the situation for a moment.

Catherine's face lit up with joy and she curtsied with gratitude.

"In the costume department. She has just replaced Joseph Bouquet as my costumer" she said to her husband.

"What?" asked Cholet in confusion

"Bouquet has quit!" said Carlotta as she handed her husband a note she was holding in her hand.

"Quit!?" said Cholet in a surprised tone.

"Doesn't like the working conditions. Can you believe it? After all I've done for that man? Good riddance it what I say!" Carlotta said in an outraged tone as she started making her way up the stairs again as Cholet followed behind her, reading the note in disbelief.

"If it is not too much to ask Madame, Monsieur. Will you allow my sister Christine to play something for you? I promise she has what it takes to play in the Orchestra" said Catherine in a nervous tone which stopped them in their tracks.

Carlotta and Monsieur Cholet looked at each other for a moment before looking down at the sisters again.

"Oh, very well my dear" said Carlotta.

Catherine then took the violin case from her sister's hands and held it up for her to open. Christine then took the violin out, checked it to make sure it was in tune, rested it on her shoulder and began to play. The tune was a piece from Vivaldi that her father taught her before his death and Monsieur Cholet and Carlotta were struck with awe as they watched her bow arm move up and down fluidly like water and her fingers on the stings were doing just the same and in turn it produce the most beautiful sound they heard. When Christine had finished there was a moment of silence and then it was broken by her sister and the man in red, who had followed behind Carlotta but stayed to the side, applauding her.

"Well I must say, impressive. I suppose we could find a place for you my dear. Report to the Orchestra conductor in the morning" said Carlotta breaking herself from her trance and with that she and her husband continue on their way upstairs and then disappeared from sight.

Catherine ran and gave her sister a hug to congratulate her and then they turned to speak with the man in red.

"Thank you Monsieur" they said.