Since the adventure of the “toad,” Carlotta had not been able to appear on the stage. The terror of a fresh “ co-ack ” filled her heart and deprived her of all her power of singing; and the theater that had witnessed her incomprehensible disgrace had become odious to her. She contrived to cancel her contract. Daaé was offered the vacant place for the time. She received thunders of applause in the Juive .
The viscount, who, of course, was present, was the only one to suffer on hearing the thousand echoes of this fresh triumph; for Christine still wore her plain gold ring. A distant voice whispered in the young man’s ear:
“She is wearing the ring again tonight; and you did not give it to her. She gave her soul again tonight and did not give it to you. … If she will not tell you what she has been doing the past two days … you must go and ask Erik!”
He ran behind the scenes and placed himself in her way.
She saw him for her eyes were looking for him.
She said:
“Quick! Quick! … Come!”
And she dragged him to her dressing-room.
Raoul at once threw himself on his knees before her. He swore to her that he would go and he entreated her never again to withhold a single hour of the ideal happiness which she had promised him.
She let her tears flow. They kissed like a despairing brother and sister who have been smitten with a common loss and who meet to mourn a dead parent.