silver--
Has its own noble story.

MAR. First the stove to replenish.

COL. So much cold has he suffered,

SCH. 'Twas an Englishman, then--
Lord, or mi-lord, as may be--
Desired a musician.

MAR. (_throwing_ COLLINE'S _books from the table_)
Off! Let us furnish the table.

SCH. I flew to him.

RUD. Where is the food?

COL. There.

MAR. Here.

SCH. I pay my homage.
Accepted, I enquire--

COL. (_preparing the viands on the table while_ RUDOLPH _lights the
other candle_)
Here's cold roast beef.

MAR. And savory patty.

SCH. When shall we start the lessons?
When I seek him, in answer to my question,
"When shall we start the lessons?"
He tells me "Now--at once.
Just look there,"
Showing a parrot on the first floor, hung, then continues:
"You must play until that bird has ceased to live."
Thus it befell:
Three days I play and yell.

RUD. Brilliantly lightens the room into splendor.

MAR. Here are the candles.

COL. What lovely pastry!

SCH. Then on the servant girl
Try all the charms wherewith I'm laden;
I fascinate the maiden.

MAR. With no tablecloth eat we--

RUD. (taking a paper from his pocket) An idea!

COL. and MAR. The Constitutional.

RUD. (unfolding the paper)
Excellent paper!
One eats a meal and swallows news at the same time!

SCH. With parsley I approach the bird,
His beak Lorito opens;
Lorito's wings outspread,
Lorito opens his beak,
A little piece of parsley gulps--
As Socrates, is dead!

(SCHAUNARD, seeing that no one is paying any attention to him, seizes
COLLINE as he passes with a plate.)

COL. Who?

SCH. (pettishly) The devil fly away with you entirely!

(seeing the rest in the act of eating the cold pastry)

What are you doing?

(With solemn gesture, extending his hand over the pastry)

No! dainties of this kind
Are but the stored-up fodder
Saved for the morrow,
Fraught with gloom and sorrow, (clearing the table)
To dine at home on the day of Christmas vigil,
While the Quartier Latin embellishes
Its ways with dainty food and tempting relishes.
Meanwhile the smell of savory fritters
The old street fills with fragrant odor.
There singing joyously, merry maidens hover,
Having for echo each a student lover.

(RUDOLPH locks the door; then all go to the table and pour out wine.)

RUD., MAR. and COL. 'Tis the gladsome Christmas Eve.

SCH. A little of religion, comrades, I pray;
Within doors drink we, but we dine away.

(Two knocks are heard at the d