"The performance has only begun and you know that the ghost does not usually come until the middle of the first act." The first act passed without incident, which did not surprise Carlotta's friends, because Margarita does not sing in this act.

As for the managers, they looked at each other, when the curtain fell.
"That's one!" said Moncharmin.
"Yes, the ghost is late," said Firmin Richard.
"It's not a bad house," said Moncharmin, "for 'a house with a curse on it.'" M.Richard smiled and pointed to a fat, rather vulgar woman, dressed in black, sitting in a stall in the middle of the auditorium with a man in a broadcloth frock-coat on either side of her.
"Who on earth are 'those ?'" asked Moncharmin.
"'Those,' my dear fellow, are my concierge, her husband and her brother." "Did you give them their tickets ?" "I did ...

My concierge had never been to the Opera--this is, the first time--and, as she is now going to come every night, I wanted her to have a good seat, before spending her time showing other people to theirs." Moncharmin asked what he meant and Richard answered that he had persuaded his concierge, in whom he had the greatest confidence, to come and take Mme.

Giry's place.

Yes, he would like to see if, with that woman instead of the old lunatic, Box Five would continue to astonish the natives?
"By the way," said Moncharmin, "you know that Mother Giry is going to lodge a complaint against you." "With whom?
The ghost ?" The ghost! Moncharmin had almost forgotten him.