The Persian's Investigation and Rescue Attempt

Follows the Persian's secret knowledge of Erik, his efforts to protect Christine, and his final descent into the torture chamber.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Persian's Past with Erik

The Persian's Past with Erik The Daroga of Mazenderan The Persian, once a daroga (chief of police) in Persia, knew Erik when the monster served the Shah. Erik built a palace of traps and tricks, and the Persian saved his life when the Shah ordered his execution. In gratitude, Erik spared the Persian, but the Persian was exiled. Life in Paris Years later, the Persian settled in Paris and discovered that Erik had made his home in the cellars of the Opera. He recognized the ghost's handiwork in the mysterious events. He began to watch over Christine Daae, knowing that Erik's obsessive love could lead to tragedy. The Persian's Vow Despite Erik's threats, the Persian resolved to intervene if necessary. He knew the secrets of the Punjab lasso, the torture chamber, and the lake. He prepared his pistols and waited for the moment when he could act to save Christine and prevent a catastrophe.

The Persian's Warning

The Persian's Warning The Encounter at the Masked Ball At the masked ball, the Persian appears and warns Raoul not to reveal Erik's secret. He overhears Christine pitying Erik and realizes that Raoul knows the name. He cautions Raoul that Christine's life depends on secrecy. The Persian's Surveillance In the days following, the Persian watches the secret engagement between Raoul and Christine. He knows that Erik is aware of their plans. He prepares his pistols and his servant Darius brings them. He intends to enter Erik's house through the third cellar entrance. The Abduction Night When Christine is abducted, the Persian immediately knows it is Erik's work. He intercepts Raoul and offers to guide him. They descend into the cellars, following the Communists' Road and the trap-door that leads to the torture chamber.

In the Torture Chamber

In the Torture Chamber The Mirror Room The Persian and Raoul find themselves in a hexagonal room of mirrors. The Persian recognizes it as Erik's torture chamber, a copy of the one in Mazenderan. They see the iron tree and the Punjab lasso at their feet. The Persian knows that Joseph Buquet died here. The Ordeal of Heat and Illusion Erik, aware of their presence, activates the room's mechanisms. The ceiling lights up, revealing a tropical forest. The heat increases. The Persian tries to find the spring to open the door, but the mirrors create endless illusions. Raoul begins to lose his mind, imagining water and shouting for Christine. Discovery of the Trapdoor After hours of torture, the Persian discovers a black-headed nail in the floor. Pressing it opens a trapdoor. They descend into a cellar filled with barrels—barrels of gunpowder. They realize Erik plans to blow up the Opera if Christine refuses him. The water then rises, almost drowning them, until Christine turns the scorpion to flood the powder.

years before the novel, during the Rosy Hours of Mazenderan

after the masked ball, before the abduction

the night of the abduction, after entering the mirror room