Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/204

“What is the social position of your principal?” asked Rodolphe.

“He is no principal of mine,” answered the other; “last night he begged me to accompany him, and overflowed me with attentions and good liquor for a while; but I have retained my independence.”

“Good,” said Schaunard.

“Sketch us some leading features of his character,” said Marcel.

“Grandeur of soul; austerity of manners; afraid to go into wineshops; bachelor of arts; candid as a transparency; plays on the bass-viol; is disposed to change a five-franc piece occasionally.”

“Good again!” said Schaunard.

“What are his hopes?”

“As I told you already, his ambition knows no bounds; he aspires to be ‘hail-fellow-well-met’ with us.”

“That is to say,” answered Marcel, “he wishes to speculate upon us, and to be seen riding in our carriages.”

“What is his profession?” asked Rodolphe.

“Yes,” said Marcel; “what does he play on?”

“Literature and mixed philosophy. He calls art a priesthood.”

“A priesthood!” cried Rodolphe, in terror.

“So he says.”

“And what is his road in literature?”

“He goes after ‘Telemachus.’”

“Very good,” said Schaunard, eating the seed of his artichoke.

“Very good! you dummy!” broke out Marcel; “I advise you not to say that in the street.”

Schaunard relieved his annoyance at this reproof by kicking Phémie under the table for taking some of his sauce.