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The Story Through Its Notes, Letters, and Documents Leroux’s impression of Christine’s letters Box Five ‘Dear Mr. Manager: ‘I am sorry to have to trouble you at a time when you must be so very busy, renewing important engagements, signing fresh ones and generally displaying your excellent taste. I know what you have done for Carlotta, Sorelli and little Jammes and for a few others whose admirable qualities of talent or genius you have suspected. ‘Of course, when I use the words, I do not mean to apply them to La Carlotta, who sings like a squirt and who ought never to have been allowed to leave the Ambassadeurs and the Café Jacquin; nor to Sorelli who owes her success mainly to the coachbuilders; nor to little Jammes, who dances like a calf in a field. And I am not speaking of Christine Daae either, though her genius is certain, whereas your jealousy prevents her from creating any important part. When all is said, you are free to conduct your little business as you think best, are you not? ‘All the same, I should like to take advantage of the fact that you have not yet turned Christine Daae out of doors by hearing her this evening in the part of Siebel, as that of Margarita has been forbidden her since her triumph of the other evening; and I will ask you not to dispose of my box to-day nor on the following days, for I can not end this letter without telling you how disagreeably surprised I have been once or twice, to hear, on arriving at the Opera, that my box had been sold, at the box-office, by your orders. ‘I did not protest, first, because I dislike scandal, and second, because I thought that your predecessors, MM. Devienne and Poligny, who were always charming to me, had neglected, before leaving, to mention my little fads to you. I have now received a reply from those gentlemen to my letter asking for an explanation, and this reply proves that you know all about my memorandum-book and consequently, that you are treating me with outrageous contempt. If you wish to live in peace, you must not begin by taking away my private box. ‘Believe me to be, dear Mr. Manager, without prejudice to these little observations, ‘Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant, ‘Opera Ghost’ ‘The letter was accompanied by a cutting from the agony-column of the Revue Theatrale, which ran: ‘O.G.-There is no excuse for R. and M. We told them and left your memorandum-book in their hands. Kind regards.’ ‘Dear Mr. Manager: ‘Thanks. Charming evening. Daae exquisite. Choruses want waking up. Carlotta a splendid commonplace instrument. Will write you soon for the 240,000 francs, or 233,424 fr. 70 c., to be correct. MM. Devienne and Poligny have sent me the 6,575 fr. 30 c. representing the first ten days of my allowance for the current year; their privileges finished on the evening of the tenth inst. ‘Kind regards. ‘O.G.’ Faust and What Followed ‘My Dear Managers: ‘So it is to be war between us? ‘If you still care for peace, here is my ultimatum. It consists of the four following conditions: ‘1. You must give me back my private box; and I wish it to be at my free disposal from henceforward. ‘2. The part of Margarita shall be sung this evening by Christine Daae. Never mind about Carlotta; she will be ill. ‘3. I absolutely insist upon the good and loyal services of Mme. Giry, my box-keeper, whom you will reinstate in her functions forthwith. ‘4. Let me know by a letter handed to Mme. Giry, who will see that it reaches me, that you accept, as your predecessors did, the conditions in my memorandum-book relating to my monthly allowance. I will inform you later how you are to pay it to me. ‘If you refuse, you will give Faust to-night in a house with a curse upon it. ‘Take my advice and be warned in time. ‘O.G.’ (To Carlotta) ‘About the same time, Carlotta, who had a small house of her own in the Rue du Faubourg St.-Honore, rang for her maid, who brought her letters to her bed. Among them was an anonymous missive, written in red ink, in a hesitating, clumsy hand, which ran: ‘If you appear to-night, you must be prepared for a great misfortune at the moment when you open your mouth to sing…a misfortune worse than death.’ ‘You have a bad cold. If you are wise, you will see that it is madness to try to sing to-night.’ Mme. Girty’s Astounding Revelations as to Her Personal Relations with the Opera Ghost (To managers) ‘The time has come to carry out the clause in the memorandum-book. Please put twenty notes of a thousand francs each into this envelope, seal it with your own seal and hand it to Mme. Giry, who will do what is necessary.’ ‘Do just as you did last time. It went very well. Put the twenty thousand in the envelope and hand it to our excellent Mme. Giry.’ (To Mme. Giry) ‘”Madam: ‘1825. Mlle. Menetrier, leader of the ballet, became Marquise de Cussy. ‘1832. Mlle. Marie Taglioni, a dancer, became Comtesse Gilbert des Voisins. ‘1846. La Sota, a dancer, married a brother of the King of Spain. ‘1847. Lola Montes, a dancer, became the morganatic wife of King Louis of Bavaria and was created Countess of Landsfeld. ‘1848. Mlle. Maria, a dancer, became Baronne d’Herneville. ‘1870. Theresa Hessier, a dancer, married Dom Fernando, brother to the King of Portugal. ‘1885. Meg Giry, Empress!”’ |
Notes, Letters, Documents |
