(A statue of 'La Victoire Ailee' - the same as that which tops the proscenium. It is twilight. CHRISTINE and RAOUL rush on)

RAOUL

Why have you brought us here?

CHRISTINE

Don't take me back there!

RAOUL

We must return!

CHRISTINE

He'll kill me!

RAOUL

Be still now . . .

CHRISTINE

His eyes will find me there!

RAOUL

Christine, don't say that . . .

CHRISTINE

Those eyes that burn!

RAOUL

Don't even think it . . .

CHRlSTlNE

And if he has to kill

a thousand men -

RAOUL

Forget this waking nightmare . . .

CHRISTINE

The Phantom of the Opera will kill . . .

RAOUL

This phantom is a fable . . .

Believe me . . .

CHRISTINE

. . . and kill again!

RAOUL

There is no Phantom of the Opera . . .

CHRISTINE

My God, who is this man . . .

RAOUL

My God, who is this man . . .

CHRISTINE

. . . who hunts to kill . . .?

RAOUL

. . . this mask of death . . .?

CHRISTINE

I can't escape from him . . .

RAOUL

Whose is this voice you hear . . .

CHRISTINE

. . .I never will!

RAOUL

. . . with every breath . . .?

BOTH

And in this

labyrinth,

where night is blind

the Phantom of the Opera

is here:

inside your/my mind . . .

RAOUL

There is no Phantom of the Opera . . .

CHRISTINE

Raoul, I've been there -

to his world of

unending night . . .

To a world where

the daylight dissolves

into darkness . . .

darkness . . .

Raoul, I've seen him!

Can I ever

forget that sight?

Can I ever

escape from that face?

So distorted,

deformed, it

was hardly a face,

in that darkness . . .

darkness . . .

(trancelike, then becoming more and more ecstatic)

But his voice

filled my spirit

with a strange, sweet sound . . .

In that night

there was music

in my mind . . .

And through music

my soul began

to soar!

And I heard

as I'd never

heard before . . .

RAOUL

What you heard

was a dream

and nothing more . . .

CHRISTINE

Yet in his eyes

all the sadness

of the world . . .

Those pleading eyes,

that both threaten

and adore . . .

RAOUL (comforting)

Christine . . .

Christine . . .

PHANTOM (unseen, a ghostly echo of RAOUL's words)

Christine . . .

CHRISTINE

What was that?

(A moment, as their eyes meet. The mood changes.)

RAOUL

No more talk

of darkness,

Forget these

wide-eyed fears.

I'm here,

nothing can harm you -

my words will

warm and calm you.

Let me be

your freedom,

let daylight

dry -your tears.

I'm here,

with you, beside you,

to guard you

and to guide you . . .

CHRISTINE

Say you love me

every

waking moment,

turn my head

with talk of summertime . . .

Say you need me

with you,

now and always . . .

promise me that all

you say is true -

that's all I ask

of you . . .

RAOUL

Let me be

your shelter,

let me

be your light.

You're safe:

No-one will find you

your fears are

far behind you . . .

CHRISTINE

All I want

is freedom,

a world with

no more night . . .

and you

always beside me

to hold me

and to hide me . . .

RAOUL

Then say you'll share with

me one

love, one lifetime . . .

Iet me lead you

from your solitude . . .

Say you need me

with you

here, beside you . . .

anywhere you go,

let me go too -

Christine,

that's all I ask

of you . . .

CHRISTINE

Say you'll share with

me one

love, one lifetime . . .

say the word

and I will follow you . . .

BOTH

Share each day with

me, each

night, each morning . . .

CHRISTINE

Say you love me . . .

RAOUL

You know I do . . .

BOTH

Love me -

that's all I ask

of you . . .

(They kiss)

Anywhere you go

let me go too . . .

Love me -

that's all I ask

of you . .

(CHRISTINE starts from her reverie)

CHRISTINE

I must go -

they'll wonder where I am . . .

wait for me, Raoul!

RAOUL

Christine, I love you!

CHRISTINE

Order your fine horses!

Be with them at the door!

RAOUL

And soon you'll be beside me!

CHRISTINE

You'll guard me, and you'll guide me . . .

(They hurry off. The PHANTOM emerges from behind the statue)

PHANTOM

I gave you my music . . .

made your song take wing . . .

and now, how you've

repaid me:

denied me

and betrayed me . . .

He was bound to love you

when he heard you sing . . .

Christine ...

Christine ...

RAOUL AND CHRISTINE (offstage)

Say you'll share with

me one

love, one lifetime . . .

say the word

and I will follow you . . .

Share each day with

me, each

night, each morning . . .

PHANTOM

You will curse the day

you did not do

all that the Phantom asked

of you . . .!

(As the roof of the opera house disappears, the opera curtain closes and the PRINCIPALS in 'Il Muto' appear through it for their bows, CHRISTINE conspicuously dressed in CARLOTTA'S costume. simultaneously, we hear the maniacal laughter of the PHANTOM and see him high above the stage, perilously rocking the chandelier. The lights of thechandelier begin flickering and, at a great cry from him, it descends, swinging more and more madly over the orchestra pit)

PHANTOM

Go! !

(The chandelier falls to the stage at CHRISTINE'S feet)