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Firmin Richard was a very famous and much respected writer of music who had a number of successful pieces in print. He had a strong personality, but unfortunately, he aslo had a very nasty temper.
In their first few days at the Opera, the new partners enjoyed the excitement of finding themselves at the head of such an admirable company. They had forgotten all about the crazy story of the ghost when something happened that proved to them that the joke if it was a joke was not over.
When Monsieur Richard entered his office, his secretary, Monsieur Remy, showed him a letter which was marked "private." It was addressed in red ink, in handwriting he had seen before. He remembered the memorandum book and opened the letter:
Dear Mr. Manager:
I am sorry to bother you when you must be very busy. I know what you have done for Carlotta , Sorelli , and Jammes,and for a few others whose admirable qualities, of talent or genius, you have suspected.
When I use these words, I am not referring to La Carlotta, who sing like a child; nor to Sorelli, nor to little Jammes, who dances like a goat in a field.and i am not speaking of Christine daae either. Although her genius is certain,your jealousy prevents her from performing any important part. I am not happy that you have forbidden her to play the part of Margarita since her triumph the other evening, but i would like to hear in the supporting role tonight
I will ask you not sell my box today nor on the following days, as I cannot end this letter without telling you how surprised I was to hear that my box had been sold on your orders. I did not protest, first, because I dislike unpleasant behavior, and second, because I thought that the Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny had forgotten to tell you about me. But, I wrote to them and they replied that you knew all about my memorandum book