La Boheme | Page 5

abode.
SCH. and COL. Hence!
MAR. With perfume we must fumigate!
COL. Drive him forth, the reprobate!
SCH. Morality offended hence expels you!
(BENOIT staggeringly rises, and tries in vain to speak.)
BEN. But say--I say!
MAR. Be silent!
COL. Be silent!
RUD. Be silent!
(They surround BENOIT and gradually push him to the door.)
BEN. Sirs, I beg you!
MAR., SCH. and COL. Be silent, out, your lordship! Hence away!
RUD., MAR., SCH. and COL. Wish we your lordship a pleasant Christmas Eve. Ah!
(They push BENOIT outside the door.)
MAR. (locking the door) I have paid the last quarter!
SCH. In the Quartier Latin Momus awaits!
MAR. Long live the spender!
SCH. We'll the booty divide!
RUD. We'll divide!
COL. We'll divide! (they divide the money on the table)
MAR. (holding out a cracked mirror to COLLINE) Beauty is a gift heaven descended, Now you are rich, to decency pay tribute. Bear! have your mane attended!
COL. The first chance I can find, I will make acquaintance with a beard eraser! So guide me to the monstrous outrage of a barber's weapon. Let's go!
SCH. We go!
MAR. and COL. We go!
RUD. I stay here, finish I must the article for my new journal, "Beaver"!
MAR. Be quick then!
RUD. Five minutes only, I know well the work!
COL. We'll await you at the porter's lodge!
MAR. Delay, and you'll hear the chorus!
RUD. Five minutes only!
SCH. You must cut short the Beaver's growing tale!
(RUDOLPH _takes a light from the table and goes to open the door: the others go out and descend the staircase_.)
MAR. (_from without_) Look to the staircase! keep well to the handrail!
RUD. (_on the landing near the open door holding up the candle_) Go slowly!
COL. How plaguing dark 'tis!
SCH. May the porter be damned!
(The noise of someone falling is heard.)
COL. I have tumbled!
RUD. Colline, are you dead yet?
COL. (_from the bottom of the staircase_) Not this time!
MAR. Come quickly!
(RUDOLPH _shuts the door, puts down the light, clears a space at the table for pens and paper, then sits down and commences to write, after putting out the other candle._)
RUD. I'm out of humor! (_A timid knock is heard at the door._) Who's there?
MIMI. (_from without_) Pardon!
RUD. 'Tis a lady!
MIMI. Excuse me, my candle's gone out!
RUD. (_running to open the door_) Is it?
MIMI. (_standing on the threshold with an extinguished candle and a key_) Pray, would you--
RUD. Pray be seated a moment.
MIMI. No, I thank you.
RUD. I beg you enter.
(MIMI _enters, but is seized with a fit of coughing_.)
RUD. Are you not well?
MIMI. No! Nothing!
RUD. You are quite pale!
MIMI. (coughing) My breath--'tis the staircase--
(Swoons, and RUDOLPH has hardly time to support her and place her on a chair. She lets fall her candlestick and key.)
RUD. What can I do to aid her?
(Fetches some water, and sprinkles her face.)
Ah! this! How very pale her face is! (Mimi revives) Do you feel better?
MIMI. Yes.
RUD. Here 'tis very chilly. Nearer the fire be seated an instant. (conducting her to a chair near the tire) A little wine?
MIMI. Thank you.
RUD. (giving her a glass and pouring out some wine) For you.
MIMI. Not so much, please!
RUD. Like this?
MIMI. Thank you. (she drinks)
RUD. How lovely a maiden.
MIMI. Now please allow me to light my candle, I'm feeling much better.
RUD. What, so quickly?
(RUDOLPH lights the candle and gives it to MIMI.)
MIMI. Thank you. Now, good evening.
RUD. So, good evening.
(Accompanies her to the door, and then returns quickly to his work.)
MIMI. (re-entering, stops on the threshold) Oh! how stupid! How stupid! The key of my poor chamber, Where can I have left it?
RUD. Come, stand not in the doorway: Your candle is flickering in the wind.
(Mimi's light goes out.)
MIMI. Good gracious! Please light it just once more!
(RUDOLPH runs with his candle, but, as he nears the door, his light, too, is blown out, and the room remains in darkness.)
RUD. Oh, dear! Now there's mine gone out, too!
MIMI. Ah! and the key--where can it be?
(Groping about, she reaches the table and deposits the candlestick.)
RUD. What a nuisance! (He finds himself near the door and fastens it.)
MIMI. I'm so sorry.
RUD. Where can it be?
MIMI. You have an importunate neighbor, Pray, forgive your tiresome little neighbor.
RUD. Nothing, I assure you.
MIMI. Pray, forgive your tiresome neighbor.
RUD. Do not mention it, I pray you.
MIMI. Look for it.
RUD. I'm looking.
(Looks for the key on the floor; sliding over it, he knocks against the table, deposits his candlestick, and searches for the key with his hands on the floor.)
MIMI. Where can it be?
(Finds the key, lets an exclamation escape, then checks himself and puts the key in his pocket.)
RUD. Ah!
MIMI. Have you found it?
RUD. No.
MIMI. I think so.
RUD. In very truth.
MIMI. Found it?
RUD. Not yet.
(Feigns to search, but guided by Mimi'S voice and movements, approaches her; as Mimi is stooping his hand meets hers, which he clasps.)
MIMI. (rising to her feet, surprised) Ah!
RUD. (holding Mimi's hand, with emotion) Your tiny hand is frozen, Let me warm it into life;