iselle Mimi was worthy of the azure scarf with which
the empresses of the cooking stove were adorned, a phrase which was
Greek to the young girl, and which Rodolphe translated by telling her
"that she would make a capital Cordon Bleu."

The appearance on the scene of the lobster caused universal admiration.
Under the pretext that he had studied natural history, Schaunard
suggested that he should carve it. He even profited by this circumstance
to break a knife and to take the largest helping for himself, which
excited general indignation. But Schaunard had no self respect, above
all in the matter of lobsters, and as there was still a portion left, he
had the audacity to put it on one side, saying that he would do for a
model for a still life piece he had on hand.

Indulgent friendship feigned to believe this fiction, but fruit of
immoderate gluttony.

As to Colline he reserved his sympathies for the dessert, and was even
obstinate enough to cruelly refuse the share of a tipsy cake against a
ticket of admission to the orangery of Versailles offered to him by
Schaunard.

At this point conversation began to get lively. To three bottles with
red seals succeeded three bottles with green seals, in the midst of
which shortly appeared one which by its neck topped with a silver
helmet, was recognized as belonging to the Royal Champagne Regiment--a
fantastic Champagne vintaged by Saint Ouen, and sold in Paris at two
francs the bottle as bankrupt's stock, so the vendor asserted.

But it is not the district that makes the wine, and our Bohemians
accepted as the authentic growth of Ai the liquor that was served out to
them in the appropriate glasses, and despite the scant degree of
vivacity shown by the cork in popping from its prison, went into
ecstacies over the excellence of the vintage on seeing the quality of
the froth. Schaunard summoned up all his remaining self-possession to
make a mistake as regards glasses, and help himself to that of Colline,
who kept gravely dipping his biscuit in the mustard pot as he explained
to Mademoiselle Mimi the philosophical article that was to appear in
"The Beaver." All at once he grew pale, and asked leave to go to the
window and look at the sunset, although it was ten o'clock at night, and
the sun had set long ago.

"It is a pity the Champagne is not iced," said Schaunard, again trying
to substitute his empty glass for the full one of his neighbor, an
attempt this time without success.