October 7, 1864

Despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding my residency here at the opera, it's not all so terrible.

Madame Giry allowed me to see the opera in its entirety, being understanding of my delicate situation and knowledgeable of my curiosity among this musical hall.

The grand entrance doors are made of crystal, with a design of the goddesses of music, otherwise named the Mousai. When I was escorted inside, I walked upon a marble floor stroked with bronze over a light gold paint. A grand staircase climbed to a luxurious balcony and forked off higher to the private boxes of the opera.

To welcome guests to the opera displayed statues of golden angels holding sheets of music, draped in robes with halos hovering over their heads.

On the balcony was a rail of gold with pillars of gods and goddesses that held up a glass dome ceiling. As the sun shone through the ceiling, a glossy design glimmered on the floor, casting the image of a shining angel singing to the Heavens.

Madame Giry allowed me to explore the balcony while she spoke to the opera manager. I discovered the walls were lined with mirrors of the clearest glass, each one separated by a trellis of vines and roses carved in a pillar of gold.

If I could vision myself a princess, this house of music would make it all the easier to imagine.

The opera house itself is enough to seat the entire city of Paris, at least to my thirteen-year-old imagination. Red velvet seats line the balconies and fill the house below. At the front stands the opera house stage, lit up with flames over the glorious orchestra pit. I was able to see the ruby red curtain fringed with gold and decorated with floral embroidery, concealing the backstage and set.

But the most beautiful in the collection of the opera house is the infamous crystal chandelier. The heart of the opera house and the most glorious piece in its collection.

Madame Giry proceeded to introduce me to special rooms distributed among the opera, exclusive only to the cast and crew, including the Bassin de la Pythie, the Salon du glacier, the Library Museum of the Opera, the Galerie de l'Orchestre, and of course the rehearsal room exclusive only to dancers, the Foyer de la danse.

I am extremely grateful for the lengths she has taken to see to my comfort. It is all entirely unnecessary, but she does it anyhow.

The ballerinas, on the other hand, are not so friendly.

Madame Giry showed me to the ballet dorms near the opera house roof in which I have been given a nice bed and trunk.

Walking in I was too shy to speak to the other ballerinas, and practically rushed to escape their conversation. But even before that, they all emanated this resentful attitude towards me. I may not have been as beautifully dressed as they had, nor have curls that I am able to control, but all in all, something about me seemed to justify their taunts that soon followed my residency.

Luckily they don't know about my secret journal, this I will be sure to uphold.

My only hope is that I am at least able to ignore their snide comments and rudimentary outbursts towards me.

It has only been a day... perhaps things will get better tomorrow... or the next day... and perhaps my hope will become something I can depend on without fail.

That is all I have at this point. Even so, I'm barely holding on.