THE ROOF OF THE OPERA HOUSE (SCENE 10)

(A statue of 'La Victoire Ailee' - the same as that which tops the proscenium. It is twilight. CHRISTINE and RAOUL rush on)

RAOUL

Why have you brought us here?

CHRISTINE

Don't take me back there!

RAOUL

We must return!

CHRISTINE

He'll kill me!

RAOUL

Be still now . . .

CHRISTINE

His eyes will find me there!

RAOUL

Christine, don't say that . . .

CHRISTINE

Those eyes that burn!

RAOUL

Don't even think it . . .

CHRlSTlNE

And if he has to kill
a thousand men -

RAOUL

Forget this waking nightmare . . .

CHRISTINE

The Phantom of the Opera will kill . . .

RAOUL

This phantom is a fable . . .
Believe me . . .

CHRISTINE

. . . and kill again!

RAOUL

There is no Phantom of the Opera . . .

CHRISTINE

My God, who is this man . . .

RAOUL

My God, who is this man . . .

CHRISTINE

. . . who hunts to kill . . .?

RAOUL

. . . this mask of death . . .?

CHRISTINE

I can't escape from him . . .

RAOUL

Whose is this voice you hear . . .

CHRISTINE

. . .I never will!

RAOUL

. . . with every breath . . .?

BOTH

And in this
labyrinth,
where night is blind
the Phantom of the Opera
is here:
inside your/my mind . . .

RAOUL

There is no Phantom of the Opera . . .

CHRISTINE

Raoul, I've been there -
to his world of
unending night . . .
To a world where
the daylight dissolves
into darkness . . .
darkness . . .

Raoul, I've seen him!
Can I ever
forget that sight?
Can I ever
escape from that face?
So distorted,
deformed, it
was hardly a face,
in that darkness . . .
darkness . . .

(trancelike, then becoming more and more ecstatic)

But his voice
filled my spirit
with a strange, sweet sound . . .
In that night
there was music
in my mind . . .
And through music
my soul began
to soar!
And I heard
as I'd never
heard before . . .

RAOUL

What you heard
was a dream
and nothing more . . .

CHRISTINE

Yet in his eyes
all the sadness
of the world . . .
Those pleading eyes,
that both threaten
and adore . . .

RAOUL (comforting)

Christine . . .
Christine . . .

PHANTOM (unseen, a ghostly echo of RAOUL's words)

Christine . . .

CHRISTINE

What was that?

(A moment, as their eyes meet. The mood changes.)

RAOUL

No more talk
of darkness,
Forget these
wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,
nothing can harm you -
my words will
warm and calm you.

Let me be
your freedom,
let daylight
dry -your tears.
I'm here,
with you, beside you,
to guard you
and to guide you . . .

CHRISTINE

Say you love me
every
waking moment,
turn my head
with talk of summertime . . .

Say you need me
with you,
now and always . . .
promise me that all
you say is true -
that's all I ask
of you . . .

RAOUL

Let me be
your shelter,
let me
be your light.
You're safe:
No-one will find you
your fears are
far behind you . . .

CHRISTINE

All I want
is freedom,
a world with
no more night . . .
and you
always beside me
to hold me
and to hide me . . .

RAOUL

Then say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Iet me lead you
from your solitude . . .

Say you need me
with you
here, beside you . . .
anywhere you go,
let me go too -
Christine,
that's all I ask
of you . . .

CHRISTINE

Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .

BOTH

Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .

CHRISTINE

Say you love me . . .

RAOUL

You know I do . . .

BOTH

Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . . .

(They kiss)

Anywhere you go
let me go too . . .
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .

(CHRISTINE starts from her reverie)

CHRISTINE

I must go -
they'll wonder where I am . . .
wait for me, Raoul!

RAOUL

Christine, I love you!

CHRISTINE

Order your fine horses!
Be with them at the door!

RAOUL

And soon you'll be beside me!

CHRISTINE

You'll guard me, and you'll guide me . . .

(They hurry off. The PHANTOM emerges from behind the statue)

PHANTOM

I gave you my music . . .
made your song take wing . . .
and now, how you've
repaid me:
denied me
and betrayed me . . .
He was bound to love you
when he heard you sing . . .

Christine ...
Christine ...

RAOUL AND CHRISTINE (offstage)

Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .

Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .

PHANTOM

You will curse the day
you did not do
all that the Phantom asked
of you . . .!

(As the roof of the opera house disappears, the opera curtain closes and the PRINCIPALS in 'Il Muto' appear through it for their bows, CHRISTINE conspicuously dressed in CARLOTTA'S costume. simultaneously, we hear the maniacal laughter of the PHANTOM and see him high above the stage, perilously rocking the chandelier. The lights of thechandelier begin flickering and, at a great cry from him, it descends, swinging more and more madly over the orchestra pit)

PHANTOM

Go! !

(The chandelier falls to the stage at CHRISTINE'S feet)