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 go on.
There keep us places; we will follow quickly.

(_Remains still at the window to make sure of his friends going._)

MAR., SCH. and COL. (_gradually departing_)
Momus, Momus, Momus!
Gently and soft to supper let us go.

MAR. And poetry let flow.

SCH. and COL. Momus, Momus, Momus!

(MIMI _goes nearer the window, so that the moon's rays fall on her
while_ RUDOLPH _contemplates her ecstatically._)

RUD. Lovely maid in the moonlight!

MAR. And poetry let flow.

RUD. Your face entrancing.
Like radiant seraph from on high appears!
The dream that I would ever, ever dream, returns.

RUD. | MIMI.
|
| Love alone o'er hearts has sway
Heart to heart and soul to soul | Ah Love! to thee do we surrender.
Love binds us in his fetters. | (_yielding to her lover's
(_placing his arm around MIMI_ embrace_)
Love now shall rule our hearts | Sweet to my soul the magic voice
alone, | Of love its music chanteth,
Life's fairest flower is love! | Life's fairest flower is love!
Life's fairest flower is