La Bohème - Quarto quadro: In soffitta

Fourth picture

«...at that time the friends had already been widowed for some time.

«Musetta had become an almost official character; - Marcello hadn't met her for three or four months.

«So is Mimì; - Rodolfo had only heard about it from himself when he was alone.

«One day when Marcello was secretly kissing a ribbon forgotten by Musetta, he saw Rodolfo hiding a bonnet - the pink bonnet - forgotten by Mimì:

"All right! murmured Marcello, he is cowardly like me!

«Gay and terrible life!...»

In the attic.

(The same scene as in Panel 1.)
(Marcello is still in front of his easel, as Rodolfo is sitting at his table: they would like to persuade each other that they work tirelessly, while in reality all they do is chat.)

Marcellus
(continuing the conversation)
In a coupe?

Rudolph
With team and liveries.
He greeted me laughing. Come on, Musetta!
I said to her: - and the heart? - «It doesn't beat or I don't feel it
thanks to the velvet that covers it."

Marcellus
(forcing a laugh)
I like it
really!

Rudolph
(to himself)
(Loiola, go! You laugh and laugh.)
(Resume work.)

Marcellus
(He paints with great strokes of the brush.)
Doesn't it beat? Well! I also saw...

Rudolph
Musetta?

Marcellus
Mimi.

Rudolph
(Staring, he stops writing.)
Did you see her?
(He composes himself.)
Oh, look!

Marcellus
(Stops work.)
He was in a carriage
dressed like a queen.

Rudolph
(cheerfully)
Hurray!
I'm happy with it.

Marcellus
(to himself)
(Liar, he is pining for love.)

Rudolph
Let's work.

Marcellus
Let's work.
(They resume work.)

Rudolph
(Throws down the pen.)
What an infamous pen!
(always sitting and very thoughtful.)

Marcellus
(Throws away the brush.)
What an infamous brush!
(He looks fixedly at his painting, then secretly from Rodolfo takes a silk ribbon out of his pocket and kisses it.)

Rudolph
(O Mimì you won't come back anymore.
O beautiful days,
small hands, fragrant hair,
snow neck!
Ah! Mimì, my brief youth!
(He takes Mimì's bonnet from the table drawer.)
And you, light cap,
who hid under the pillow as he left,
you know all our happiness,
comes to my heart!
On my dead heart, since love is dead.)

Marcellus
(I don't know how it is
let my brush work
and color mixtures
against my will.
If I like to paint
or skies or lands or winters or springs,
he traces two black pupils on me
and a busty mouth,
and it comes out of Musetta
and the face again...
And it comes from Musetta
her face all charm and all fraud.
Meanwhile, Musetta enjoys it
and my cowardly heart calls her
and waits for my vile heart...)

Rudolph
(He places the cap over his heart, then wanting to hide his emotion from Marcello, he turns to him and casually asks him:)
What time is it?
And Schaunard isn't coming back?

Marcellus
(Left thoughtfully, he is shaken by Rodolfo's words and cheerfully replies:)
Yesterday's lunch time.

(Schaunard and Colline enter, the first carrying four loaves of bread and the other a parcel.)

Schaunard
Here we are.

Rudolph
Well?

Marcellus
Well?
(Schaunard places the loaves on the table.)
(with contempt)
Some bread?

Hills
(He opens the package and takes out a herring which he also places on the table.)
It is a dish worthy of Demosthenes:
a herring...

Schaunard
... salty.

Hills
Lunch is on the table.
(They sit at the table, pretending to be having a sumptuous lunch.)

Marcellus
This is plenty
from Berlingaccio.

Schaunard
(He places Colline's hat on the table and places a bottle of water in it.)
Now the champagne
put on ice.

Rudolph
(to Marcello, offering him some bread)
Choose, oh baron;
trout or salmon?

Marcellus
(He thanks, accepts, then turns to Schaunard and presents him with another morsel of bread.)
Duke, one language
of parrot?

Schaunard
(He politely refuses, pours himself a glass of water then passes it to Marcello; the only glass passes from one to the other. Colline, who has hastily devoured his loaf of bread, stands up.)
Thanks, it makes me hungry.
I have a dance tonight.

Rudolph
(in Hills)
Already full?

Hills
(with importance and gravity)
I'm in a hurry.
The King awaits me

Marcellus
(thoughtfully)
Is there any plot?

Rudolph
Any mister?
(He gets up, approaches Colline, and tells him with comic curiosity:)
Any mister?

Marcellus
Any mister?

Hills
(He walks strutting around with an air of great importance.)
The King calls me
to the Minister.
Rodolfo, Schaunard and Marcello
(They surround Colline and bow to him.)
Well!

Hills
(with protective air)
However...
I'll see... Guizot!

Schaunard
(to Marcello)
Hand me the tassel.

Marcellus
(He gives him the only glass.)
Yes, drink, I'll eat!

Schaunard
(Solemn, he climbs onto a chair and raises his glass.)
Allow me to the noble assembly...

Rodolfo and Colline
(interrupting him)
Enough!

Marcellus
Weak!

Hills
What a decoction!

Marcellus
Take off your heel!

Hills
(taking the glass from Schaunard)
Give me the gout!

Schaunard
(He signals to his friends to let him continue.)
(inspired)
It inspires me irresistible
the inspiration of the romance!...

The others
(screaming)
No!

Schaunard
(yielding)
Choreographic action
At that time?...

The others
(Applauding, they surround Schaunard and make him get off the chair.)
Yes! Yes!...

Schaunard
Dance
with vocal music!

Hills
Let's clear the rooms...
(They take the table and chairs to one side and get ready to dance.)
Gavotte.

Marcellus
(proposing various dances)
Minuet.

Rudolph
Pavanella.

Schaunard
(marking the Spanish dance)
Fandango.

Hills
I propose the quadrille.
(The others approve.)

Rudolph
(cheerfully)
Hands to the ladies.

Hills
I said!
(He pretends to be busy with big business to arrange the quadrille.)

Schaunard
(Improvising, he beats the tempo with great, comic importance.)
Lallera, lallera, lallera, there.

Rudolph
(He approaches Marcello, makes him a big bow, offering him his hand.)
Charming damsel...

Marcellus
(modestly, imitating the female voice)
Respect modesty.
(in a natural voice)
Please.

Schaunard
Lallera, lallera, lallera, there.

Hills
(dictating the figures)
Balancing.
(Rodolfo and Marcello dance the quadrille.)

Marcellus
Lallera, lallera, lallera,

Schaunard
(provocative)
First there is the Rondo.

Hills
(provocative)
No, beast!!

Schaunard
(with exaggerated contempt)
What a lackey's manner!
(Rodolfo and Marcello continue dancing.)

Hills
(offended)
If I'm not mistaken,
she insults me.
Strip the iron.
(Runs to the fireplace and grabs the tongs.)

Schaunard
(He takes the fireplace shovel.)
Ready.
(getting into fighting position)
Taste.
I want to drink your blood.

Hills
(Does the same.)
One of us here is gutted.
(Rodolfo and Marcello stop dancing and break down laughing.)

Schaunard
Prepare a stretcher.

Hills
Prepare a cemetery.
(Schaunard and Colline fight.)

Rodolfo and Marcello
(cheerfully)
As he presses on
the duel,
it turns and leaps
Rigodone.
(They dance around the duelists, who pretend to be increasingly enraged.)
(The door opens and Musetta enters in great agitation.)

Marcellus
(seeing her)

Musetta

Musetta
(panting)
There's Mimi...
(With great anxiety they surround Musetta.)
There is Mimì who follows me and who is ill.

Rudolph
Where is it?

Musetta
When taking the stairs
it could no longer stand.
(Through the open door, Mimì can be seen sitting on the highest step of the staircase.)

Rudolph
Ah!
(He rushes towards Mimì; Marcello runs too.)

Schaunard
(in Hills)
We pull over
that bed.
(They both bring the bed forward.)

Rudolph
(With Marcello's help he carries Mimì to the bed.)
There.
(to friends, softly:)
To drink.
(Musetta runs over with the glass of water and gives Mimì a sip.)

Mimi
(with great passion)
Rudolph!

Rudolph
(Lays Mimì on the bed.)
Shut up, rest.

Mimi
(He hugs Rodolfo.)
Oh my Rodolfo!
Do you want me here with you?

Rudolph
Ah! my Mimi,
always always !
(He persuades Mimì to lie down on the bed and spreads the blanket over her, then with great care arranges the pillow under her head.)

Musetta
(He takes the others aside and says to them in a low voice:)
I heard that Mimì had fled
from the Viscontino, was at the end of his life.
Where is he? Search, search... I see it
pass along the way
barely dragging himself along.
He tells me: «I can't stand it anymore...
I die! I feel...
(Becoming agitated, without realizing it, he raises his voice.)
I want to die with him! Maybe he's waiting for me...
Will you accompany me, Musetta?..."

Marcellus
(He gestures to speak softly and Musetta moves further away from Mimì.)
Sst.

Mimi
I feel much better...
let me look around.
(with sweet smile)
Ah, how nice it is here!
We are reborn, I still feel life here...
(standing up a little and hugging Rodolfo again)
No! you won't leave me anymore!

Rudolph
Blessed mouth,
you still talk to me!

Musetta
(from the other three)
What do you have at home?

Marcellus
Nothing !

Musetta
Not coffee? Not wine?

Marcellus
(with great disappointment)
Nothing! Ah! misery!

Schaunard
(Mimì observed cautiously, sadly to Colline, taking him aside:)
She's dead in half an hour!

Mimi
I'm so cold!...
If I had a muff! These hands of mine
will they never be able to heat up?
(Coughs.)

Rudolph
(He takes Mimì's hands in his, warming them.)
Here in mine! Shut up!
Talking tires you.

Mimi
I have a bit of cough!
I'm used to it.
(Seeing Rodolfo's friends, she calls them by name: they rush to her attentively.)
Good morning, Marcello,
Schaunard, Colline... good morning.
(smiling)
Everyone here, everyone here
smiling at Mimì.

Rudolph
Don't talk, don't talk.

Mimi
I speak slowly,
do not be afraid, Marcello,
(gesturing for him to come closer)
listen: Musetta is very good.

Marcellus
I know I know.
(He holds out his hand to Musetta.)
(Schaunard and Colline move away sadly: Schaunard sits at the table, with his face in his hands; Colline remains thoughtful.)

Musetta
(He leads Marcello away from Mimì, takes off his earrings and hands them to him, saying in a low voice:)
To you, sell, bring back
some cordial, send a doctor!...

Rudolph
Rests.

Mimi
You won't leave me?

Rudolph
No! No!
(Mimì gradually falls asleep, Rodolfo takes a chair and sits next to the bed)
(Marcello is about to leave, Musetta arrests him and takes him further away from Mimì.)

Musetta
Listen!
Maybe it's the last time
who made a wish, poor thing!
For the sleeve I go. I will come with you.

Marcellus
(moved)
You are good, my Musetta.
(Musetta and Marcello leave hastily.)

Hills
(While Musetta and Marcello were talking, he took off his overcoat.)
(with growing emotion)
Old lady, listen,
I stay on the floor, you go up
the sacred mountain now you must.
My thanks receive.
You never bent the threadbare
back to the rich and powerful.
Passâr in your pockets
as in quiet caves
philosophers and poets.
Now that the happy days
flee, I say to you: goodbye,
my faithful friend.
Goodbye goodbye.
(Colline, having made a bundle, places it under his arm, but seeing Schaunard, approaches him, taps him on the shoulder and says sadly:)
Schaunard, each in a different way
(Schaunard raises his head.)
let's put two acts of mercy together;
I... this!
(Shows him the cassock he keeps under his arm)
And you...
(pointing to Rodolfo as he bends over the sleeping Mimì)
leave them alone there!...

Schaunard
(Stands up.)
(moved)
Philosopher, reasons!
(looking towards the bed)
It's true!... Go away!
(He looks around, and to justify his departure he takes the water bottle and goes down behind Colline, carefully closing the door.)

Mimi
(He opens his eyes, sees that they have all left and extends his hand towards Rodolfo, who kisses it lovingly.)
They went? I pretended to be asleep
because I wanted to stay with you alone.
I have so many things I want to tell you,
or only one, but as big as the sea,
like the sea, deep and infinite...
(Puts his arms around Rodolfo's neck.)
You are my love and my whole life!

Rudolph
Ah, Mimi,
my beautiful Mimi!

Mimi
(He drops his arms.)
Am I still beautiful?

Rudolph
Beautiful as a dawn.

Mimi
You made a mistake in the comparison.
You meant to say: beautiful as a sunset.
«They call me Mimì,
I don't know why..."

Rudolph
(tender and caressing)
The swallow returned to the nest and chirped.
(He takes Mimì's bonnet from where he had placed it, over his heart, and hands it to her.)

Mimi
(gaily)
My headphones...
Ah!
(She holds out her head to Rodolfo, he puts the cap on her. Mimì makes Rodolfo sit next to her and remains with her head resting on his chest.)
You remember when I came in
the first time, there?

Rudolph
If I remember!

Mimi
The light had gone out...

Rudolph
You were so upset!
Then you lost the key...

Mimi
And looking for her
you've been groping!...

Rudolph
...and search, search...

Mimi
My handsome sir,
I can well say it now:
she found it very soon...

Rudolph
I was helping destiny...

Mimi
(remembering his meeting with Rodolfo on Christmas Eve)
It was dark; and my blush was not visible...
(Whispers Rodolfo's words.)
«What a cold little hand...
If you let it warm up!...»
It was dark
and you took my hand...
(Mimì is overcome by a pang of suffocation and drops her head, exhausted.)

Rudolph
(Frightened, he holds her up.)
Oh God! Mimi!
(At this moment Schaunard returns: at Rodolfo's cry he runs to Mimì.)

Schaunard
What's happening?

Mimi
(He opens his eyes and smiles to reassure Rodolfo and Schaunard.)
Nothing. I am fine.

Rudolph
(He lays her on the pillow.)
Shut up, for goodness' sake.

Mimi
Yes, yes, forgive,
now I'll be good.
(Musetta and Marcello enter cautiously, Musetta brings a sleeve and Marcello a bottle.)

Musetta
(to Rodolfo)
He is sleeping?

Rudolph
(approaching Marcello)
Rests.

Marcellus
I saw the doctor!
It will come; I rushed him.
Here's the cordial.
(He takes a spirit lamp, places it on the table and lights it.)

Mimi
Who's talking?

Musetta
(He approaches Mimì and hands her the muff.)
I, Musetta.

Mimi
(Helped by Musetta, she stands up in bed and takes the muff with almost childish joy.)
Oh, how beautiful and soft it is! Not anymore
the hands turned blue. The warmth
he will embellish them... (to Rodolfo) It's you
what do you give it to me?

Musetta
(ready)
Yes.

Mimi
(He extends a hand to Rodolfo.)
You, carefree!
Thank you. But it will cost.
(Rodolfo bursts into tears.)
You cry? I am fine...
Cry like this, why?
(Puts his hands in the muff, falls asleep, tilting his head gracefully on the muff in the act of sleeping.)
Here... love... always with you!
Hands... warm... and... sleep.
(Silence).

Rudolph
(Reassured to see that Mimì has fallen asleep, he cautiously moves away from her and, having signaled to the others not to make any noise, approaches Marcello.)
What he said
the doctor?

Marcellus
It will come.

Musetta
(He heats the medicine brought by Marcello on the spirit stove, and almost unconsciously murmurs a prayer.)
(Rodolfo, Marcello and Schaunard speak very quietly to each other; from time to time Rodolfo takes a few steps towards the bed, watching over Mimì, then returns towards his friends.)
Blessed Madonna,
give this poor girl grace
that he shouldn't die.
(interrupting, to Marcello)
Here we need shelter
because the flame flutters.
(Marcello approaches and places a book upright on the table, forming a screen for the lamp.)
As.
(Resume the prayer.)
And may he heal.
Holy Madonna, I am
unworthy of forgiveness,
while Mimì
he is an angel from heaven.
(while Musetta prays, Rodolfo approached her.)

Rudolph
I still hope. You think it is
serious?

Musetta
I do not believe.

Schaunard
(Walking on tiptoe he goes to observe Mimì, makes a gesture of pain and returns to Marcello.)
(in a strangled voice)
Marcello, she passed away...
(Meanwhile Rodolfo has noticed that the sun from the attic window is about to hit Mimì's face and is looking around for ways to take shelter; Musetta notices this and points to her mantilla, climbs onto a chair and studies how to spread it on the window.)
(Marcello also approaches the bed and moves away terrified; meanwhile Colline enters and places some money on the table next to Musetta.)

Hills
Musetta, to you!
(Then seeing Rodolfo who alone is unable to place the mantilla he runs to help him asking him about Mimì)
How is it going?...

Rudolph
See?... She's calm.
(He turns towards Mimì, while Musetta signals to him that the medicine is ready, he gets down from the chair, but as he rushes to Musetta he notices the strange behavior of Marcello and Schaunard.)
(in a voice choked with dismay)
What does it mean
that coming and going,
that looking at me like that...

Marcellus
(He can't stand it anymore, he runs to Rodolfo and hugging him in an anguished voice he shouts:)
Courage !

Rudolph
(He rushes to Mimi's bed, picks her up and shaking her, cries out in utter desperation:)
(crying out)
Mimì... Mimì!...
(He throws himself on Mimì's lifeless body)
(Musetta, frightened, runs to the bed, lets out an anguished cry, throwing herself on her knees and crying at Mimì's feet on the opposite side of Rodolfo.
Schaunard collapses on a chair on the left of the scene.
Colline goes to the foot of the bed, terrified by the suddenness of the catastrophe.
Marcello sobs, turning his back to the stage.)