Down Once More .../Track Down This Murderer - Live At The Royal Albert Hall/2011

SCENE EIGHT
THE LABYRINTH UNDERGROUND

(Meanwhile, down below, we see the PHANTOM and CHRISTINE in the boat, crossing the underground lair)

PHANTOM (furiously propelling the boat onwards)
Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair!
Down we plunge to the prison of my mind!
Down that path into darkness deep as hell!

(He rounds on her, bitterly)

Why, you ask, was I bound and chained
In this cold and dismal place?
Not for any mortal sin
But the wickedness of my abhorrent face!

(He hears the offstage voices of the pursuing MOB)

MOB (offstage)
Track down this murderer!
He must be found!

PHANTOM (Moving off again)
Hounded out by everyone!
Met with hatred everywhere!
No kind word from anyone!
No compassion anywhere!

Christine! Christine, why?! Why?!

(RAOUL and GIRY appear above. They make their way down, meeting a pack of rats. MADAME GIRY screams and lowers her guard. The rats and the RATCATCHER pass them. MADAME GIRY raises her hand again)

GIRY
Your hand at the level of your eyes!

RAOUL
...at the level of your eyes...

MOB
Your hand at the level of your eyes!

GIRY
He lives across the lake, Monsieur. This is as far as I dare go

RAOUL
Madame Giry, thank you

(She turns to go back up the slope. RAOUL looks at the water. He removes his coat and plunges in. The MOB appears at the top of the slope. They come down to the lake edge, their torches flickering)

MOB
Track down this
Murderer -
He must be found!
Hunt out this
Animal
Who runs to ground!
Too long he's
Preyed on us -
But now we know
The Phantom of the Opera
Is there
Deep down below...

He's here: the Phantom of the Opera...

(They turn back up the slope. Perhaps there is another way in. The gate to the lair descends, as the rest of the lair appears)

SCENE NINE
BEYOND THE LAKE

(The dummy of CHRISTINE sits crumpled on a large throne. The PHANTOM brings CHRISTINE roughly out of the boat. She frees herself and backs away as he stares blackly out front. Braving her terror, she addresses him fiercely)

CHRISTINE
Have you gorged yourself at last, in your lust for blood?

(No reply)

Am I now to be prey to your lust for flesh?

PHANTOM (Coldly)
That fate, which condemns me to wallow in blood
Has also denied me the joys of the flesh...
This face, the infection which poisons our love...

(He takes the bridal veil from the dummy, and moves slowly towards her)

This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing...
A mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing...

(He places the veil on her head)

Pity comes too late -
Turn around and face your fate:
An eternity of this before your eyes!

(They are almost touching. She looks coldly into his face. He puts the ring in her hand)

CHRISTINE
This haunted face holds no horror for me now...
It's in your soul that the true distortion lies...

(The PHANTOM suddenly senses RAOUL's presence. Behind the portcullis, RAOUL comes out of the water)

PHANTOM
Wait! I think, my dear
We have a guest!

CHRISTINE
Raoul!

PHANTOM
(To RAOUL)

Sir, this is indeed
An unparalleled delight!
I had rather hoped
That you would come

No!
And now my wish comes true -
You have truly made my night!

RAOUL (pleading, grasping the bars of the gate)
Free her!
Do what you like
Only free her!
Have you no pity?

PHANTOM (to CHRISTINE, dryly)
Your lover makes
A passionate plea!

CHRISTINE
Please, Raoul, it's useless...

RAOUL
I love her!
Does that mean nothing?
I love her!
Show some compassion!

PHANTOM (snarls furiously at RAOUL)
The world showed no compassion to me!

RAOUL
Christine...
Christine...

(to PHANTOM)

Let me see her!

PHANTOM (dryly)
Be my guest, sir...

(He gestures, and the gate rises. RAOUL enters)

Monsieur, I
Bid you welcome!
Did you think that I would harm her?
Why should I make her pay
For the sins which are yours?

(So saying, he takes the Punjab lasso and, before RAOUL has a chance to move, catches him by the neck. The end of the rope, of which the PHANTOM has let go, remains magically suspended in mid-air)

(Taunting)
Order your fine horses now!
Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes!
Nothing can save you now -
Except perhaps Christine...

(He turns to her)

Start a new life with me -
Buy his freedom with your love!
Refuse me, and you send your lover to his death!
This is the choice -
This is the point of no return!

CHRISTINE (to the PHANTOM)
The tears I might have shed
For your dark fate
Grow cold, and turn to tears of hate...

RAOUL (Despairing)
Christine, forgive me, please forgive me
|I did it all
|for you, and all
|for nothing
|
|CHRISTINE (Looking at the PHANTOM but to herself)
|Farewell
|my fallen idol
|and false friend...
|We had such hopes
|But now those hopes
|Are shattered!
|
|PHANTOM (to CHRISTINE)
|Too late for
|turning back
|too late for
|prayers and
\useless pity...

|RAOUL (to CHRISTINE)
|Say you love him
|and my
|life is over!
|
|PHANTOM
|Past all hope
|of cries for help:
\no point in fighting -

|RAOUL
|Either way you choose
|he has to win...
|
|PHANTOM
|For either way
|you choose
\you cannot win!

So, do you end
Your days with me
Or do you send
Him to his grave?

RAOUL (to PHANTOM)
Why make her lie
To you, to save me?

|CHRISTINE
|Angel of Music
|
|PHANTOM
|Past the point
|of no return -
|
|RAOUL
|For pity's sake
\Christine, say no!

|CHRISTINE
|...who deserves this?
|
|PHANTOM
|The final threshold...
|
|RAOUL
|Don't throw your life
\away for my sake...

|CHRISTINE
|Why do you curse
|mercy?
|
|PHANTOM
|His life is now the prize
|which you must earn!
|
|RAOUL
|I fought so hard
\to free you...

|CHRISTINE
|Angel of Music...
|
|PHANTOM
|You've passed the point
\of no return...

CHRISTINE
...you deceived me -
I gave my mind blindly...

PHANTOM (to CHRISTINE)
Blindly...
You try my patience -
Make your choice!

(She reflects for a moment, then with resolutions moves slowly towards the PHANTOM)
CHRISTINE (quietly at first, then with growing emotion)
Pitiful creature of darkness...
What kind of life have you known...?
God give me courage to show you
You are not alone...

(Kisses him long and full on the lips. The embrace lasts a long time. RAOUL watches in horror and wonder

The PHANTOM takes a lighted candle and holds it above RAOUL's head. A tense moment. But the suspended rope suddenly falls harmlessly - the PHANTOM has burnt the thread by which the noose was held. Resigned, he addresses RAOUL, as we hear the offstage voices of the approaching MOB)

|MOB (Some)
|Track down this murderer -
|he must be found!
|Hunt out this animal
|who runs to ground!
|
|Too long he's preyed on us -
|but now we know:
|the Phantom of the Opera
|is there
|deep down below...
|
|MOB (Others)
|Who is this monster
|this murdering beast?
|Revenge for Piangi!
|Revenge for Buquet!
|This creature
|must never go free...
|
|PHANTOM
|Take her - forget me - forget all of this
|Leave me alone - forget all you've seen
|Go now - don't let them find you!
|Take the boat - swear to me - never to tell
|Of the secrets you know - of this Angel of Hell!!!!!!
|Go!
|Go now!
GO NOW AND LEAVE ME!!!!!!!!!!

(RAOUL and CHRISTINE move off towards the boat. The PHANTOM looks mockingly at his mask. The musical box starts up magically, and he listens to it)

Masquerade...
Paper faces on parade...
Masquerade...
Hide your face
So the world will
Never find you...

(CHRISTINE re-enters and walks slowly towards him. She takes off her ring and gives it to the PHANTOM)

PHANTOM
Christine, I love you....

(She hurries off. The PHANTOM puts the ring on his finger)

CHRISTINE (in the distance, to RAOUL as the boat pulls away in the distance)
Say you'll share with me, one
Love, one lifetime...
Say the word and I will follow you...

RAOUL
Share each day with me...

CHRISTINE
...each night...

BOTH
..each morning...

PHANTOM (looking after her)
You alone can make my song take flight -
It's over now, the music of the night!

(The PHANTOM walks slowly towards the throne. He takes his place on it., sitting on his cloak. The MOB, including MEG, appears above, climbing down the portcullis. They enter the lair. MEG crosses to the throne and picks up his mask in her small hand)