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. GlRY screams and lowers

her guard. The rats and the RATCATCHER pass them.

GIRY raises her hand again)

GIRY

Your hand at the level of your eyes!

RAOUL

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

MOB (offstage)

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.)

BEYOND THE LAKE

(The dummy of CHRlSTlNE sits crumpled on a large

throne. The PHANTOM drags 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 lakes the bridal veil front 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 calmly and coldly

into his face)

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 climbs out of the water)

PHANTOM

Wait! I think, my dear,

we have a guest!

(to RAOUL)

Sir, this is indeed

an unparalleled delight!

I had rather hoped

that you would come.

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 (drily)

Be my guest, sir . .

(He gestures, and the fence 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 . . .

One by one

I've watched

illusions shattered . . .

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

. . . why this torment?

PHANTOM

. . . the final threshold . . .

RAOUL

Don't throw your life

away for my sake . . .

CHRISTINE

When will you see

reason . . .?

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)

You try my patience -

make your choice!

(She reflects for a moment, then with resolution 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 . . .

(Now calmly facing him, she kisses him long and full on

the lips. The embrace lasts a long time. RAOUL watches

in horror and wonder.

The PHANTOM lakes a lighted candle and holds it

above RAOUL's head. A tense moment. But the

suspended rope suddenly falls harmlessly - the

PHANTOM has burned 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 . .

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 - leave me here - go now,

don't wait . . .

Just take her and go - before it's too late . . .

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 shadow)

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. As the MOB enters the lair, the

PHANTOM wraps his cloak around himself and

disappears.

MEG crosses to the throne and picks up his mask in her

small hand)

END OF ACT 2