Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/228

“Poor Romeo!” said Rodolphe, “there is his Juliet calling him. Come, off with you,” he added, opening the door to the enamored beast, who made a single leap down the stairs into its lover’s arms.

Left alone with his mistress, who, standing before the glass, was curling her hair in a charmingly provocative attitude, Rodolphe approached Mimi and passed his arms round her. Then, like a musician, who before commencing a piece, strikes a series of notes to assure himself of the capacity of the instrument, Rodolphe drew Mimi on to his knee, and printed on her shoulder a long and sonorous kiss, which imparted a sudden vibration to the frame of the youthful beauty.

The instrument was in tune.