Beauty Of Music

Chapter 9

An hour later everyone had gone home for the night and the Opera House was shrouded in darkness, but quiet it was not because echoing throughout the whole building was Operatic singing and the source was Catherine practicing an aria in the music room while Erik was sitting in front of the Piano, listening and watching with admiration.

"I'm not very comfortable with the upper register yet" said Catherine after she had finished singing.

"But you will be you're doing so well. You already have a finer voice than most of that company" said Erik with praise.

"That's not possible" chuckled Catherine as she fidgeted with the ends of her shawl.

"Oh, but it is. And soon, sooner that I ever thought you'll be singing not just up here but, on the stage, as well" said Erik with enthusiasm.

"That's like a dream" Catherine sighed.

"But it is real. Sometimes dreams can be real. The Gods smiled when they imagined you Catherine Daae, you are music itself" said Erik with an ounce of flattery.

Catherine didn't speak, she turned and walked towards a chair by the mirrored wall. She looked up at the ceiling and her mind wondered back to memories of her childhood.

"God if only my Papa were alive to see this" she said.

"Was he a musician?" Erik asked.

"Not a great one" chuckled Catherine as she remembered her Father fondly.

"I'm not surprised" Erik commented, judging by how warn her dress and shoes were.

"A Violinist. He then my sister would play, and I would sing. He even brough us here once you know. I was just an infant. It was his dream the two of us would perform here someday" said Catherine with a smile as she sat down on the chair.

"He has watched over you both" Erik commented.

"I'd like to think so" Catherine smiled.

"I have no doubt of it" said Erik reassuringly.

Catherine didn't speak for a moment then looked down at her lap feeling shy.

"Do you know the Count de Chaney?" she asked.

Erik's facial expressions became stoned at the very mention of the Count.

"Why do you ask?" he asked.

"He was the one who told my sister and I to come here. He saw us performing at a Country Fair" Catherine explained.

"He is not worthy of you" Erik answered abruptly.

Catherine looked at him with shock and surprise.

"Why?" she asked.

Erik was reluctant to answer at first.

"Please?" Catherine begged for him to answer.

"Because he comes to the Opera for the wrong reasons. He comes for the beauty of faces rather than the beauty of music" Erik finally plucked up the courage to say.

Catherine's face dropped slightly then she turned her head to the left and looked down at the floor. Her fallen expression didn't go unnoticed by Erik.

"I am sorry, have I hurt you" he asked feeling ashamed.

Catherine did not speak, only gave a small smile, and shook her head.

"That is something I would never want to do" said Erik.

Catherine looked at Erik with a stunned expression for a moment and then smiled, appreciating his word.