The Phantom of the Opera · Chapter
XVII: The Safety-Pin Again explained
The managers Richard and Moncharmin, now deeply suspicious of each other, attempt to recreate the circumstances of the first theft of 20,000 francs.
What happens
The managers Richard and Moncharmin, now deeply suspicious of each other, attempt to recreate the circumstances of the first theft of 20,000 francs. They stage a reenactment with Mame Giry placing the money in Richard's pocket, then lock themselves in their office to watch it. Despite Moncharmin pinning the envelope with a safety-pin, the money vanishes again at midnight, leaving only the pin. Their mutual accusations and fear of the ghost intensify.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Secrecy
The managers' elaborate reenactment and mutual suspicion reveal a web of deceit, as they try to uncover who is stealing the money while hiding their own doubts.
Superstition and Rationality
Despite their rational attempts to solve the theft, the managers are driven to consider supernatural explanations, culminating in their belief in the ghost's involvement.
Characters to notice
- M. Firmin Richard
One of the Opera managers; he is the target of the theft and becomes increasingly paranoid, suspecting Moncharmin of taking the money.
- Armand Moncharmin
The other manager; he orchestrates the reenactment and pins the money to Richard's pocket, but the money disappears again, leading him to suspect the ghost.
- Mame Giry
The box-keeper; she is instructed to slip the 20,000 francs into Richard's pocket during the reenactment, then is locked in the acting-manager's office by Mercier.
- M. Mercier
The business-manager; he locks Mame Giry in the office and later receives the safety-pin from Moncharmin.
- M. Rémy
The secretary; he is present during the reenactment and is pushed away by Moncharmin, who does not want anyone near Richard.
Key passages
“The ghost! Suppose, all the same, it were a ghost who puts the magic envelopes on the table… who talks in Box Five… who killed Joseph Buquet… who unhooked the chandelier… and who robs us!”
Richard suggests that the ghost might be responsible for the mysterious envelopes, the voice in Box Five, Buquet's death, the chandelier crash, and the theft of their money.
Richard lists the ghost's alleged deeds, showing his growing acceptance of the supernatural explanation.
“I can feel the pin, but I can't feel the notes!”
Moncharmin discovers that although the safety-pin is still in place, the banknotes have vanished from Richard's pocket.
This moment confirms the theft and deepens the mystery, as the pin remains but the money is gone.