La Boheme | Page 6

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; Our search is useless, In darkness all is hidden,
'Ere long the light of the moon shall aid us, Yes, in the moonlight our
search let us resume. One moment, pretty maiden, While I tell you in a
trice, Who I am, what I do, And how I live. Shall I?
(Mimi is silent.)
I am, I am a poet! What's my employment? Writing. Is that a living?
Hardly. I've wit though wealth be wanting, Ladies of rank and fashion
All inspire me with passion; In dreams and fond illusions, Or castles in
the air, Richer is none on earth than I.

Bright eyes as yours, believe me, Steal my priceless jewels, In fancy's
store-house cherished, Your roguish eyes have robbed me, Of all my
dreams bereft me, Dreams that are fair, yet fleeting. Fled are my truant
fancies, Regrets I do not cherish, For now life's rosy morn is breaking,
Now golden love is waking. Now that I've told my story, Pray tell me
yours, too; Tell me frankly, who are you? Say, will you tell?
MIMI. (_after some hesitation_) They call me Mimi But my name is
Lucia; My story is a short one-- Fine satin stuffs or silk I deftly
embroider; I am content and happy; The rose and lily I make for
pastime. These flowers give me pleasure As in magical accents They
speak to me of love, Of beauteous springtime. Of fancies and of visions
bright they tell me, Such as poets, and only poets, know. Do you hear
me?
RUD. Yes!
MIMI. They call me Mimi, But I know not why; All by myself I take
my frugal supper, To Mass not oft repairing, Yet oft I pray to God. In
my room live I lonely, Up at the top there, in my little chamber Above
the house tops so lofty. Yet the glad sun first greets me; After the frost
is over Spring's first, sweet, fragrant kiss is mine, Her first bright
sunbeam is mine, A rose as her petals are opening Do I tenderly cherish.
Ah! what a charm Lies for me in her fragrance! Alas! those flowers I
make, The flowers I fashion, alas! they have no perfume! More than
just this I cannot find to tell you, I'm a tiresome neighbor that at an
awkward moment intrudes upon you.
SCH. (_from below_) Eh! Rudolph!
COL. Rudolph!
MAR. Hallo! you hear not? Don't dawdle!
(At the shouts of his friends RUDOLPH _is annoyed._)
COL. Poetaster, come!
SCH. What has happened, idler?
(Getting more annoyed RUDOLPH _opens the window to answer his
friends; the moonlight enters, brightening the room._)
RUD. I have still three lines to finish.
MIMI. (_approaching the window_) Who are they?
RUD. My friends.
SCH. You will know they're yours.
MAR. What do you there, so lonely?

RUD. I'm not lonely. We are two. So to Momus