Alexander Teixeira de Mattos
Translator
Chapter Titles
Prologue
I/1. Is it the Ghost?
II/2. The New Margarita
III/3. The Mysterious Reason
IV/4. Box Five
V/5. The Enchanted Violin
VI/6. A Visit to Box Five
VII/7. Faust and What Followed
VIII/8. The Mysterious Brougham
IX/9. At the Masked Ball
X/10. "Forget the Man's Voice!"
XI/11. Above the Trap Doors
XII/12. Apollo's Lyre
XIII/13. A Master-Stroke of the Trap-Door Lover
XIV/14. The Singular Attitude of a Safety-Pin
XV/15. Christine! Christine!
XVI/16. Mme. Giry's Revelations
XVII/17. The Safety-Pin Again
XVIII/18. The Commisary, the Viscount and the Persian
XIX/19. The Viscount and the Persian
XX/20. In the Cellars of the Opera
XXI/21. Interesting Vicissitudes of a Persian
XXII/22. In the Torture Chamber
XXIII/23. The Torture Begins
XXIV/24. Barrels! Barrels!
XXV/25. The Scorpion or the Grasshopper: Which
XXVI/26. The End of the Ghost's Story
Epilogue
Prologue
I/1. Is it the Ghost?
II/2. The New Margarita
III/3. The Mysterious Reason
IV/4. Box Five
V/5. The Enchanted Violin
VI/6. A Visit to Box Five
VII/7. Faust and What Followed
VIII/8. The Mysterious Brougham
IX/9. At the Masked Ball
X/10. "Forget the Man's Voice!"
XI/11. Above the Trap Doors
XII/12. Apollo's Lyre
XIII/13. A Master-Stroke of the Trap-Door Lover
XIV/14. The Singular Attitude of a Safety-Pin
XV/15. Christine! Christine!
XVI/16. Mme. Giry's Revelations
XVII/17. The Safety-Pin Again
XVIII/18. The Commisary, the Viscount and the Persian
XIX/19. The Viscount and the Persian
XX/20. In the Cellars of the Opera
XXI/21. Interesting Vicissitudes of a Persian
XXII/22. In the Torture Chamber
XXIII/23. The Torture Begins
XXIV/24. Barrels! Barrels!
XXV/25. The Scorpion or the Grasshopper: Which
XXVI/26. The End of the Ghost's Story
Epilogue
Differences
Which Translation do you have?
A good way to tell is the opening paragraph of the book
A good way to tell is the opening paragraph of the book
Gaston Leroux
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de Mattos
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Le fantôme de l’Opéra a existé. Ce ne fut point, comme on l’a cru longtemps, une inspiration d’artistes, une superstition de directeurs, la création falote des cervelles excitées de ces demoiselles du corps de ballet, de leurs mères, des ouvreuses, des employés du vestiaire et de la concierge.
Oui, il a existé, en chair et en os, bien qu’il se donnât toutes les apparences d’un vrai fantôme, c’est-à-dire d’une ombre. |
The Opera ghost really existed. He was not, as was long believed, a creature of the imagination of the artists, the superstition of the managers, or a product of the absurd and impressionable brains of the young ladies of the ballet, their mothers, the box-keepers, the cloak-room attendants or the concierge. Yes, he existed in flesh and blood, although he assumed the complete appearance of a real phantom; that is to say, of a spectral shade."
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The “fantôme de l’Opéra” did really exist. He was not, as was long believed, an invention of the performer’s imaginations, a superstition of the managing directors, or a creation from the easily excited and impressionable minds of the young ladies of the Corps de Ballet, or of their mothers, the box keepers, ushers, the cloakroom attendants, or the concierge.
Yes, he existed in flesh and blood, although he did take on the persona of a real ghost; that is to say, a of kind spectral shadow spirit. |
NOTES : de Mattos translation was the first English translation and sadly is the most well known and most easy to come by. Even though de Mattos is not considered abridged he removed a lot of content and changed things that were too racy for the time, it's also riddled with mistranslations. He cutout much of Christine's introspective dialogue in the Apollo's Lyre chapter as well as cutting out a while scene right before she slams the door in Erik's face. He cuts out some of Erik's snarky and somewhat crude humor as well.
Noteworthy Changes
Gaston Leroux
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de Mattos
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Je courus dans mon petit appartement comme une insensée, cherchant toujours une issue que je ne trouvai point. Je m’accusais amèrement de ma stupide superstition et je pris un plaisir affreux à railler la parfaite innocence avec laquelle j’avais accueilli, à travers les murs, la Voix du génie de la musique… Quand on était aussi sotte, il fallait s’attendre aux plus inouïes catastrophes et on les avait méritées toutes ! J’avais envie de me frapper et je me mis à rire de moi et à pleurer sur moi, en même temps. C’est dans cet état qu’Érik me trouva.
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I ran round my little apartment, looking for a way of escape which I could not find. I upbraided myself for my absurd superstition, which had caused me to fall into the trap. I felt inclined to laugh and to cry at the same time. This was the state of mind in which Erik found me.
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I ran around my small apartment like a fool, frantically looking for a way out, that I never found. I bitterly accused myself of my stupid superstitions which had led me to be gullible enough to welcome, the Voice of a musical genius, through the walls... Being so foolish, I fully had deserved all of this. It was to be no surprise the disasters turn of events that had befallen me! I had wanted to hit myself for being so stupid and I began to laugh and cry all at the same time. It is in this state that Érik found me upon his return.
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NOTES : de Mattos also cut out the fact in the original French Christine had planed to killer herself with a sharp pare of scissors if Erik has ceased behaving less then gentlemanly, hinting at rape.
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J’avais grand faim, je lui jetai la porte au nez et entrai dans le cabinet de toilette. Je pris un bain après avoir placé près de moi une magnifique paire de ciseaux avec laquelle j’étais bien décidée à me donner la mort, si Érik, après s’être conduit comme un fou, cessait de se conduire comme un honnête homme.
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de Mattos
"I was very angry, slammed the door in his face and went to the bath-room.... . . . [Omitted!] . |
PT Translation
I was very hungry, but I slammed the door in his face and walked into the bathroom. I took a bath only after placing within reach, a beautiful pair of sharp scissors. I was determined to kill myself, if Érik in his madness, ceased to behave like a decent gentlemen. |
NOTES: He also removed Erik's suggestion of making a coffin big enough for two.
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Gaston Leroux
… apprends que je suis fait entièrement avec de la mort !… de la tête aux pieds !… et que c’est un cadavre qui t’aime, qui t’adore et qui ne te quittera plus jamais ! jamais !… Je vais faire agrandir le cercueil, Christine, pour plus tard, quand nous serons au bout de nos amours !… |
de Mattos
Know,’ he shouted, while his throat throbbed and panted like a furnace, `know that I am built up of death from head to foot and that it is a corpse that loves you and adores you and will never, never leave you!-- |
PT Translation
Learn! And know!” He proclaimed at the back of his throat like a fire that blew in a forge ... “Understand that I am completely built of death! ... From head to foot! ... And that it is a corpse who loves you, who adores you and will never leave you! Never! ... I will have the coffin enlarged, Christine, for later, when our love comes to an end!... |
Gaston Leroux
« Ce soir-là, nous n’échangeâmes plus une parole… Il avait saisi une harpe et il commença de me chanter, lui, voix d’homme, voix d’ange, la romance de Desdémone. Le souvenir que j’en avais de l’avoir chantée moi-même me rendait honteuse. Mon ami, il y a une vertu dans la musique qui fait que rien n’existe plus du monde extérieur en dehors de ces sons qui vous viennent frapper le coeur. Mon extravagante aventure fut oubliée. Seule revivait la voix et je la suivais enivrée dans son voyage harmonieux ; je faisais partie du troupeau d’Orphée ! Elle me promena dans la douleur, et dans la joie, dans le martyre, dans le désespoir, dans l’allégresse, dans la mort et dans les triomphants hyménées… j’écoutais… Elle chantait… Elle me chanta des morceaux inconnus… et me fit entendre une musique nouvelle qui me causa une étrange impression de douceur, de langueur, de repos… une musique qui, après avoir soulevé mon âme, l’apaisa peu à peu, et la conduisit jusqu’au seuil du rêve. Je m’endormis. . . . . . « Quand je me réveillai, j’étais seule, sur une chaise longue, dans une petite chambre |
de Mattos
And I listened... and stayed!... . That night, we did not exchange another word. . . . . . . . ................[missing!] . . . . . . . . ...He sang me to sleep... . . . . . . ................[missing!] . . . . “When I woke up, I was alone, lying on a sofa in a simply furnished little bedroom, |
PT Translation
... And I listen to him ... and I stayed! . “That evening, we did not exchange a word... He had taken up a harp. ‘It’... the man’s voice, the voice of an angel began to sing to me, ‘The Romance of Desdemona’ The memory I had, of singing it myself, made me ashamed. My friend, music has a quality that makes one forget the outside world, apart from those sounds that impress upon the heart. My wild adventure was all but forgotten. Only the voice and I existed. Intoxicated, I followed where ever its harmony led me. It was as though suddenly, I became part of Orpheus’s flock! It’s triumphant hymns, walked me through sorrow then on to ecstasy, down the path of martyrdom and through the pain of despair, to the highs of elation, and then finally to death... I listened ... and the voice than sang to me, an unfamiliar pieces ... and I heard music like nothing I had ever heard before. It caused in me an unusual feeling, a sweet euphoria washed over me, a kind of languishing. The soft music lifted my soul, soothed it as it wrapped it in sound, and I was brought to the threshold of dreams. That is when I fell asleep.” “When I awoke, I was alone, laying on a chaise lounge in a small simple room |
NOTES: From the chapter At the Masked Ball/ Le bal Masqué
Gaston Leroux
«.Ne me touchez pas! Je suis la Mort rouge qui passe!...» |
de Mattos
"Don't touch me! I am Red Death stalking abroad!" |
NOTES: Interesting and Instructive Tribulations of a Persian in the Underground of the Opera: (notice the difference through out all the translations)
de Mattos
“My duty, you great booby!...It is my wish... my wish to let her go |
Gaston Leroux
– Mon devoir, immense niais ! – (textuel). – C’est ma volonté… ma volonté de la laisser partir, |
☚ •de Mattos• ☛
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