Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/282

and fish-like smell pervaded the neighborhood, and Dolores had half an inch of water in her bed-room.

The landlord grew furious, and threatened Mr. Birne with an action for damages done to his property.

“Have I not a right,” asked the Englishman, “to bathe in my rooms?”

“Not in that way, sir.”

“Very well, if I have no right to, I won’t,” said the Briton, full of respect for the laws of the country in which he lived. “It’s a pity; I enjoyed it very much.”

That very night he had his ocean drained off. It was full time: there was already an oyster-bed forming on the floor.

However, Mr. Birne had not given up the contest: he was only seeking some legal means of continuing this singular warfare, which was “nuts” to all the Paris loungers, for the adventure had been blazed about in the lobbies of the theatres and other public places. Dolores felt equally bound to come triumphant out of the contest. Not a few bets had been made upon it.

It was then that Mr. Birne thought of the piano as an instrument of warfare. It was not so bad an idea, the most disagreeable of instruments being well capable of contending against the most disagreeable of birds. As soon as this lucky thought occurred to him, he hastened to put it into execution, hired a piano, and inquired for a pianist. The pianist, it will be remembered, was our friend Schaunard. The Englishman recounted to him his sufferings from the parrot, and what he had already done to come to terms with the actress.

“But, milord,” said Schaunard, “there is a sure way to rid yourself of this creature—parsley. The chemists are unanimous in declaring that this culinary plant is prussic acid to such birds. Chop up a little parsley, and shake it