Tracking down a pest wasn't that easy. The ghost compared himself to an unlucky fisherman who got up before dawn, overcame a long and full of obstacles to the river to catch the biggest and rarest prey, and lost long hours with a fishing rod, while the coveted prey plays in a nearby lake. The patron flatly refused to fall into the carefully set traps, and The Phantom of the Opera was hopelessly crying out to heaven - didn't he deserve years of service to the theater at least a little bit of luck? Heaven was silent.
Therefore, seeing the boy alone behind the empty scenes, he did not even believe his eyes at first. After taking the lasso off his waist, the Phantom of the Opera prepared the noose for a throw and silently followed the viscount. The distance was shortening, so he waved his hand, releasing the deadly lasso.... Here, a little bit of luck ended: Raúl de Chania turned around, put his hand at eye level and bounced off with incredible dexterity, and the loop, instead of overflowing the neck of the prey, just slipped on his forearm and fell to the floor.
For a fraction of a second, the angry Ghost of the Opera and the stunned Viscount were looking at each other until the Ghost broke that numbness, snarling and rushing to the young man as the embodiment of inexorable rock.
Running de Chania quickly, besides suspiciously well oriented in the theater, but the Ghost did not lag behind. He no longer asked the higher forces for help, did not dream of overcoming the curse, focusing only on the distance separating from the pest. Viscount fell to his knees, enough for the Phantom of the Opera to catch up with him, grab him, and forcefully seal him into the wall.
- That's it," he said, taking his breath away. - Now I'm gonna take you down, and all our misfortunes are behind us.
- Push" snapped at Raúl de Chania. - I'll be replaced by someone else.
- Oh, so many of you?! Then they will thank me in other theatres!
- Oh, so many of you too?! - The Vicomte snidely responded and, having twitched, managed to turn away from the ghost's grip. - Well, think about it, who might need the failure of your new opera.
The ghost looked at him in astonishment: he was expecting a plea for mercy.
- Stop! - A woman's voice was heard from behind.
Christina, flushed, with her hair blown out, rushed to them as if life depended on it, which in this case, was quite consistent with the truth. The ghost and Raoul exchanged bewildering views.
- Raul told me everything," she said and stood between them with determination.
It would have been easy to push Christine away and fulfill her intentions in terms of the Viscount, but with dazzling clarity, the Phantom of the Opera understood that the moment was missed. It was necessary to press at once.
- It was all my fault," said Raoul with a sigh. - Your Opera is not the first season of the Lepeletier Theatre as a bunch of bones in your throat, and you are the most important bone. My family patronizes them, especially my older brother, who is their example of ballet, and she asked me to get you out of the way. It wasn't a problem here, just to come and visit you regularly, the rest will be my gift. Even if you kill me now, my bad luck will only increase until it destroys both you and the Opera. You've gotten along too well with your theater....
The ghost stepped aside and held his back against the wall. The saddest thing is that the viscount and blame nothing, like a termite, that he follows his nature, destroying the work of human hands.
- I hate myself for agreeing to it," said Raoul. - I told my brother I wouldn't help him anymore. I came here to talk to you. Suddenly you know away. If I could make a difference, somehow help... believe me, I would have done anything.
The ghost didn't know the way. But he had to be! I have to! Even the wind that destroys buildings, which is submissive to the will and mind of man, rotates the blades of a wind turbine...
- So you want to help? - He asked. - Can you be a carpenter?
Raul gave him a misunderstanding look.
- Not very well," he said carefully.
- You'll learn," the Phantom of the Opera said with determination and took the Viscount by the shoulder. - We have a few days before the premiere, so we need to restore the scenery. Let me show you what to do. You'll be all that's good for you. And at least I'll have fun watching you sweat and hit yourself with a hammer on your fingers.
* * * * *
An excellent carpenter from Viscount Raul de Chania, of course, failed, but he could follow the instructions of senior masters. And it was necessary to sweat thoroughly.
The ghost of the Opera House watched from the grizzlies as the scenery gradually acquired its original appearance. Funny, he thought, did any of his predecessors try to throw the power of creation against the spontaneous destruction? He had no idea what really happened when Raúl da Chanha took a hammer and joined the workers. I only knew that for the first time in recent days, no stupid unpleasant accident had interfered with the plans. Looks like this time luck finally came to their side.