“It seems there’s a plot got up by Christine Daaé’s friends against Carlotta. Carlotta’s furious.”

“What on earth⁠ ⁠… ?” said Richard, knitting his brows.

But the curtain rose on the kermess scene and Richard made a sign to the stage-manager to go away. When the two were alone again, Moncharmin leaned over to Richard:

“Then Daaé has friends?” he asked.

“Yes, she has.”

“Whom?”

Richard glanced across at a box on the grand tier containing no one but two men.

“The Comte de Chagny?”

“Yes, he spoke to me in her favor with such warmth that, if I had not known him to be Sorelli’s friend⁠ ⁠…”