The Elbert County tribune., 1913-07-11
CHAPTER II.
The New MaraarIta.

On the first landing, SoreIli ran
against the Comte de Chagny, who
was coming upstairs.
Il was just going to YOU" he said,
taking off his hat. "Oh, Soreili, what
an evening" And Christine Daae:
what Triumph"
Impossible" said Meg Gfry. six
months ago she used to sing like a
crock! But do let us get by. my
dear count" continues the brat. with
a curtsey. I'VE are going to inquire
after poor man who was found hang
ing by the neck"
Just then the acting manager came
fussing past and stopped.
What" he exclaimed Have you
girls heard already? Well, please for
get about it for tonight-and above
all don't let NJ. Debienne and M
Poligny hear; it would upset them
too much on their last day"
They all went on to the foyer of
the ballet, which was already full OF
people. The Comte de Chagny was
right; no gala performance ever
equaled this one. Faure and Krauss
had sung; and, on that evening, Chris
for the first time, to the astonished
audience.
The whole house went mad, rising
to its feet. shouting. cheering, clap
ping. while Christine sobbed and
tainted in the arms of her fellow-sing-
ers and had to be carried to her dress
ingroom. A few subscribers. how
ever. protested. Why had SO great a
treasure been kept from them all that
time? TIL then, Christine Daae had
| played a good Siebei to CarIotta's
rather too splendidly material Mar
| garita- And 1T had needed Carlotta's
| incomprehensible absence from this
| gala night for the little Daae, at a
| moments warning. to show all that
she could do in part of the pro-
gram reserved for the Spanish diva!
The Comte de Chagny. standing up
in his box. listened to all this frenzy
and took part In it by loudly applaud
ing. Philippe Georges Marie Comte
| de Chagny was Just forty-one years OF
age. He was great aristocrat and a
good-looking man. above middle
height and with attractive features, in
spite OF his hard forehead and his
rather cold eyes. On the death of
old Count Philfbert. he became the
head Of one of the oldest and most
distinguished families in France,
whose arms dated back to the four
teenth century. His two sisters and
his brother. Raoul. would not hear OF
a division and waived their claim TO
their shares.
The Comtesse de Chagny. nee de
Moerogis de La Martyniere, had died
in giving birth to Raoul. who was born
twenty years after his elder brother.
Philippe busted himself actively with
the youngsters education. The lad
entered the Borda training-ship fin
tshed his course with honors and
quietly made his trip round the world.
Thanks to powerful influence, he had
just been appointed a member OF the
official expedition on board the
Requin, which was to be sent to the
Arctic Circle in search of the sur
viyors of the D'Artofs expedition. of
whom nothing had been heard for
three years. He was a little over
twenty-one years of age and looked
eighteen. He had a small, fair mus
tache. beautiful blue eyes and a com
plexion like a girls.
On that evening. Philippe, after ap-
plauding the Daae, turned to Raoul
and saw that'h he was quite pale
Don't you see." said Raoul. that
the woman's fainting?"
You look like fainting yourself.
said the count. Whats the matter y''
But Raoul had recovered himself
and was standing up.
Let's go and see,' he said, '.she
never sang like that before"
They were soon at the door leading
from the house to the stage. RaouI
tore his gloves without knowing what
he was doing and Philippe had much
too kind heart to laugh at him for
his impatience. But he now under
stood why Raoul was absent-minded
when spoken to and why he always
} tried to turn every conversation to
} the subject of the opera.
} They reached the stage and pushed
J through tho crowd of gentlemen.
scene-shifters, supers and chorus
girls, Raoul leading the way. feeling
that his heart no longer belonged to
him. his face set with passion, while
Count Philippe followed him with diff
ficulty and continued to smile The
count was surprised to find that
Raoul knew the way. He had never
taken him to Christine's himselr and