FIRMIN:
Mystery
after gala night,"
if says, "Mystery
of soprano's flight!"
"Mystified
baffled Surete say,
we are mystified -
we suspect foul play!"

Bad news on 
soprano scene -
first Carlotta,
now Christine!
Still, at least
the seats get sold
gossip's worth
its weight in gold . . .

Diva tenders
resignation!
Cover does a
moonlight flit!
Half your cast disappears,
but the crowd still cheers!
Opera!
To [bad word] with Gluck and Handel -
Have a scandal and
you're sure to have a hit!
(ANDRE bursts in, in a temper)

ANDRE
Damnable!
Will they all walk out?
This is damnable!

FIRMIN
Andre, please don't shout . . .

It's publicity!
And the take is vast!
Free publicity!

ANDRE
But we have no cast . . .

FIRMIN
(calmly)
But Andre,
have you seen the queue?

(He has been sorting mail on his desk. Finding the two
letters from the PHANTOM):

Oh, it seems
you've got one too . . .

(He hands the letter to ANDRE, who opens it and reads):

ANDRE
"Dear Andre
what a charming gala!
Christine enjoyed a great success!
We were hardly bereft
when Carlotta left -
otherwise
the [bad word] was entrancing,
but the dancing was a
lamentable mess!"

FIRMIN
(reading his)

Dear Firmin,
just a brief reminder:
my salary has not been paid.
Send it care of the ghost,
by return of post
P.T.O.:
No-one likes a debtor,
so it's better if my
orders are obeyed!"

FIRMIN/ANDRE
Who would have the gall
to send this?
Someone with a puerile brain!

FIRMIN
(examining both letters)
These are both signed "O.G." . . .

ANDRE
Who the [bad word] is he?

BOTH
(immediately realizing)
Opera ghost!

FIRMIN
(unamused)
It's really not amusing!

ANDRE
He's abusing
our position!

FIRMIN
In addition
he wants money!

ANDRE
He's a funny
sort of spectre . . .

BOTH
. . . to expect a
large retainer!
Nothing plainer -
he is clearly quite insane!

(They are [bad word] by the arrival of RAOUL, who
brandishes another of the PHANTOM'S notes)

RAOUL
Where is she?

ANDRE
You mean Carlotta?

RAOUL
I mean Miss Daae -
where is she?

FIRMIN
Well, how should we know?

RAOUL
I want an answer -
I take it that you sent me this note?

FIRMIN
What's all this nonsense?

ANDRE
Of course not!

FIRMIN
Don't look at us!

RAOUL
She's not with you, then?

FIRMIN
Of course not!

ANDRE
We're in the dark . . .

RAOUL
Monsieur, don't argue -
Isn't this the
letter you wrote?

FIRMIN
And what is it, that we're
meant to have wrote?

(Realizing his mistake)
Written !

(RAOUL hands the note to ANDRE, who reads it)

ANDRE
"Do not fear for Miss Daae.
The Angel of Music
has her under his wing.
Make no attempt to see her again."

(The managers look mystified)

RAOUL
If you didn't write it, who did?

(CARLOTTA bursts in. She too has a letter, which has
cheered her no more than the others)

CARLOTTA
Where is he?

ANDRE
Ah, [bad word] back!

CARLOTTA
Your precious patron -
where is he?

RAOUL
What is it now?

CARLOTTA
(to RAOUL)
I have your letter -
a letter which I
rather resent!

FIRMIN (to RAOUL)
And did you send it?

RAOUL
Of course not!

ANDRE
As if he would!

CARLOTTA
You didn't send it?

RAOUL
Of course not!

FIRMIN
What's going on . . .?

CARLOTTA
(to RAOUL)
You dare to tell me,
that this is not th