The Phantom of the Opera

Perhaps they took a train to the north, and lived a quiet, happy life together there

The room was all mirrors – walls, floor, ceiling

But please remember, I can be a good friend, but a bad enemy.

all through the opera,

here and there

But Christine Daaé was no longer on the stage!

ten, or twenty, years’ time?’

alone not with other people
angel a messenger from God, or a very special, wonderful person
box a small ‘room’ with three walls in a theatre; you can watch the stage from a box, but other people can’t see you
chandelier a very big, beautiful light, which has lots of little lights in it
clever quick to understand and learn
crash (v) to fall or hit something hard and noisily
dancer someone who dances (moving the body to music)
dangerous something dangerous can hurt or kill you
director somebody who is the head person in a company, theatre, etc.
doorkeeper (in this story) a person who looks after the boxes in a theatre
enemy the opposite of a friend
floor all the rooms on the same level in a building
fool someone who is stupid, not quick at understanding or learning
ghost people can see the ghost of a dead person
ground the ground is under our feet
hole a small opening in something
joke something people say or do to make other people laugh
kiss to touch someone lovingly with your mouth
lake a big area of water, with land all round it
light (n) to see in the dark, you need a light
mad ill in the head
mask a cover that you put over the face to hide it
mirror a piece of glass where you can see yourself (some special mirrors you can also look through, like a window)
missing (adj) if something or someone is missing, you can’t find them
music when you sing or play an instrument, you make music
neck the part of the body between the head and the shoulders
opera a play in a theatre which has singing and music
passage a long narrow place in a building between rooms
phantom a ghost
rope very thick, strong string
scream to cry out in a very loud, high voice
secret something that you do not tell other people
shadow a place or thing that is dark because there is something between it and the light
shout to speak or cry very loudly and strongly
stage the part of a theatre where actors, singers, and dancers stand and move
stare to look at someone or something for a long time
terrible very, very bad
toad a small animal, like a frog, that lives in wet places
torture (n) doing very painful, terrible things to people’s bodies
ugly not beautiful
voice you talk or sing with your voice
whisper to speak very, very quietly

heard him,’ he said. ‘I listened outside the door and heard a man’s voice.