The Phantom of the Opera Page #5

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HARRY takes the music, turns off the music box, and sits down at the piano. What he plays is the melody of Joan's aria in the opera.

MRS. TUCKER

Ah! I remember that bit.

HARRY:

What became of this professor, Mrs. Tucker?

MRS. TUCKER

He was killed. Burned to death in a fire. It was terrible.

HARRY:

A fire?

MRS. TUCKER

At a printer's. He'd gone to see them about printing his music. The whole place caught fire while he was there.

HARRY:

Do you remember the name of this printer's, Mrs. Tucker?

MRS. TUCKER

Let me see. Oh, yes. It was Piggot's, by London Bridge.

CHRISTINE:

(coming into the room) Ready.

HARRY:

In five minutes exactly. Good girl. Thank you very much, Mrs. Tucker, for all your help.

MRS. TUCKER

What about your sherry...

HARRY:

Of course. (he drinks it) Goodbye, Mrs. Tucker.

MRS. TUCKER

Goodbye.

Fade to Piggot's, where HARRY and CHRISTINE have gone. HARRY is talking to the CLERK at the front desk.

CLERK:

The fire, sir? Ah, that would be a bit before my time. Perhaps you would care to see our Mr. Weaver, sir? He's the master printer. He's been here a very long time.

HARRY:

Yes, I'd like that very much.

CLERK:

I'll see if he's available, sir.

CHRISTINE:

What is this, Harry?

HARRY:

It's a long story. I'll tell you over lunch. Ah, Mr. Weaver?

WEAVER:

You were enquiring about the fire, sir?

HARRY:

Yes, well, rather about someone who died in the fire.

WEAVER:

No one died.

HARRY:

But I understood that someone was burned to death in the fire.

WEAVER:

Someone was badly burned, sir, but he didn't die. Not here, anyway.

HARRY:

What happened?

WEAVER:

He broke in one night, sir. He must have knocked over a lamp or something... and put the whole place ablaze. He tried to put it out with what he thought was water, sir. But it was some of this. (he picks up a glass bottle) For etching the plates. He threw a whole jarful at the flames. Some of it splashed back in his face. (he pours some liquid from the bottle onto the wooden table and it begins to eat a hole through it) Nitric acid, sir.

HARRY:

What became of him?

WEAVER:

He ran out screaming. No one ever saw any more of him.

HARRY:

And you've no idea who he was?

WEAVER:

No, sir.

HARRY:

Nor why he broke in?

WEAVER:

He was a burglar... I suppose, sir.

Later HARRY and CHRISTINE arrive at the police department to speak with SERGEANT VICKERS.

HARRY:

Thank you very much for seeing us, Sergeant. I'm sure you must be very busy.

VICKERS:

It is quite all right, sir.

HARRY:

I'm enquiring about a fire.

VICKERS:

A fire, sir?

HARRY:

At Piggot's, the printers. Do you remember it?

VICKERS:

I remember it well, sir. I was on duty. Saw it all.

HARRY:

There was a man badly burned.

VICKERS:

There was indeed, sir. He came running out of that place screaming blue murder... if you'll pardon the expression, Miss.

HARRY:

Where did he run to?

VICKERS:

Straight up the street and into the river, sir.

CHRISTINE:

The river?

VICKERS:

That's right, Miss. Straight in he went. (indicating a spot on the map behind him) About here.

Cut to HARRY and CHRISTINE standing at the part of the river VICKERS indicated.

HARRY:

So that's where he went.

CHRISTINE:

Who, Harry? Who is this mystery man?

HARRY:

I'll tell you over lunch.

CHRISTINE:

Lunch? It's almost three.

HARRY:

Is it? Oh, well, tea then. (laughs) We'll have tea in the park, then a row on the lake... and dinner at Frascati's. And then perhaps we'll have some supper.

HARRY takes CHRISTINE's arm and they turn to leave. The camera pans down to the river, where a grating can be seen.

In the evening, HARRY and CHRISTINE are sitting inside a cab, embracing.

CHRISTINE:

The cab's stopped.

HARRY:

Has it? Well, tell him to go round the park again.

CHRISTINE:

Harry, we can't. He's been round four times already.

HARRY:

Well, perhaps he likes it.

CHRISTINE giggles. HARRY taps on the roof of the cab.

HARRY:

Uh, cabbie, would you mind taking us round the park again?

CABBIE:

Well, sir, being a pleasant enough evening for meself... I wouldn't mind a bit. I don't suppose ol-ol-old Lightning here would grumble much either. But, me missus... me missus has a nervous disposition. She don't like being left on her own at nighttime. She don't. So, if you wouldn't mind, sir.

HARRY:

I understand perfectly.

CABBIE:

Thought you would, sir. (laughs)

HARRY:

(to CHRISTINE) Looks like I'll have to take you home.

CHRISTINE:

Thank you for a lovely day.

CABBIE:

The first of many, I wouldn't wonder, Miss, eh? (chuckles) I think I'll just go and inspect the harness, sir.

HARRY and CHRISTINE kiss.

CABBIE:

(looking in) All in order, sir. All in order, sir, with the harness. Yes, I'll just climb aboard again.

CHRISTINE:

Harry, you never did tell me about that mystery man, you know.

HARRY:

Oh, it's quite simple. I found out how Ambrose D'Arcy managed to write such good music. He didn't. Someone else wrote it for him.

CHRISTINE:

Are you sure?

HARRY:

Near enough.

CHRISTINE:

What are you going to do?

HARRY:

Nothing. The real composer's dead, and we've enough trouble without making more.

HARRY goes to kiss CHRISTINE again, but the CABBIE interrupts him.

CABBIE:

All right then, sir?

HARRY:

Very all right, thank you.

CABBIE:

Right. We're away then. Come on, Lightning. We'll soon be home now.

The cab moves onward. Fade in to CHRISTINE coming into her room. She takes her coat off and swings dreamily on the bedpost. She opens the curtains of her window and is suddenly confronted by the face of the DWARF glaring at her. She backs away in horror. Cut to PETRIE playing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor on the organ. The DWARF has carried CHRISTINE, who fainted, to a room in the opera house, where he pushes aside a stove, revealing a secret passage. He drags CHRISTINE through it. They emerge in the sewer chamber where PETRIE is at the organ. The DWARF places CHRISTINE on the shore where she begins to awaken. PETRIE finishes playing and turns to look at CHRISTINE. He motions to the DWARF, who backs off, and then beckons to CHRISTINE. Slowly, she approaches him and takes his hand. He leads her to a chair where she sits down.

PETRIE:

I am going to teach you to sing, Christine. I am going to give you a new voice. A voice so wonderful that theaters all over the world will be filled with your admirers. You will be the greatest star the opera has ever known. Greater than the greatest! And when you sing, Christine... you will be singing only... (he points to himself) for me.

YVONNE is rehearsing onstage. D'ARCY, LATTIMER, and BILL are watching her.

YVONNE:

Most noble Lord Dauphin

I am sent by God

to bring succor

to your kingdom

D'ARCY

No, no, no. Not like that. Now start again.

YVONNE:

Most noble Lord Dauphin

I am sent by God

to bring succor

to your kingdom

ROSSI:

If you watch me carefully, my dear, I'll give you your cue.

D'ARCY

Just one moment, Mr. Rossi. I am taking this rehearsal. When I require any help from you, I shall ask for it.

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