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CHAPTER 6 LA CARLOTTA SINGS MARGARITA |
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On Friday morning La Carlotta had her breakfast in bed. |
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She drank her coffee and opened her morning letters. |
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One letter had no name on it. It was very short. |
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You are ill. |
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You cannot sing Margarita tonight. |
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Stay at home and don't go to the Opera House. |
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Accidents can happen. |
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Do you want to lose your voice-forever? |
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La Carlotta was very, very angry. |
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She got out of bed at once and did not finish her breakfast. |
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'This is from Christine Daaé' s friends,' |
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she thought.'They want her to sing again tonight. |
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That Daaé girl is going to be sorry for this! |
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I,La Carlotta, I am the best opera singer in Paris. |
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And nothing is going to stop me singing Margarita tonight!' |
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At six o'clock that evening the dancers were in their dressing-room. |
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They talked and laughed |
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and put on their red and black dresses for Faust. |
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But Meg Giry was very quiet. |
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'What's the matter,Meg?'Annie Sorelli asked. |
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'It's the Opera ghost,Meg said. |
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'My mother says he's angry. |
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She's afraid that something's going to happen tonight.' |
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'Oh,pooh!'the girl with black hair said. |
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'Who's afraid of an old ghost?' |
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An hour later Monsieur Armand |
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and Monsieur Firmin went into Box 5 and sat down. |
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They were not afraid of ghosts.Of course not. |
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There were no ghosts in the Opera House. |
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Then Monsieur Armand saw some flowers |
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on the floor by the door of the box. |
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'Firmin,'he whispered, |
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'did you put those flowers there?' |
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Monsieur Firmin looked. |
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'No,I didn't,'he whispered back'Did you?' |
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'Of course not, you fool!Shh,the music's beginning.' |
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La Carlotta did not sing for the first hour. |
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There were no strange voices in Box 5, |
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and the two directors began to feel happier. |
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Then La Carlotta came out onto the stage, |
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and Monsieur Firmin looked at Monsieur Armand. |
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'Did you hear a voice just then?' he asked quietly. |
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'No!'Monsieur Armand said, |
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but he looked behind him twice, |
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then three times, and suddenly felt cold. |
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La Carlotta sang and sang, and nothing happened. |
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Then she began a beautiful love song. |
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'My love begins to-Co-ack!' |
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Everybody stared. |
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What was the matter with Carlotta's voice |
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What was that strange noise-Co-ack |
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Carlotta stopped and began the song again. |
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'My love begins to-Co-ack! |
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I cannot forget my-Co-ack!' |
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It was the noise of a toad! |
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People began to talk and laugh. |
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Monsieur Firmin put his head in his bands. |
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Then he felt Monsieur Armand's hand on his arm. |
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There was a voice in the box with them! |
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A man's voice, laughing |
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Poor Carlotta tried again, and again. |
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'I cannot forget my-Co-ack!' |
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Then the two directors heard the voice again, |
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behind them,in front of them, everywhere. |
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'Her singing tonight is going to bring down the chandelier!' |
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The two directors looked up at the top of the Opera House. |
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Their faces were white. |
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The famous chandelier, with its thousand lights, |
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broke away from its ropes and crashed down on to the people below. |
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That was a terrible night for the Paris Opera House. |
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One woman was killed by the chandelier, |
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and many people were hurt. |
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The Opera House closed for two weeks. |
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And La Carlotta never sang again. |