Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/367

applied not having a nightingale, Rodolphe replaced it by a pigeon, which he was assured sang every morning at daybreak.

Returned home, the poet reflected that to ascend a rope-ladder was not an easy matter, and that it would be a good thing to rehearse the balcony scene, if he would not, in addition to the chances of a fall, run the risk of appearing awkward and ridiculous in the eyes of her who was awaiting him. Having fastened his ladder to two nails firmly driven into the ceiling, Rodolphe employed the two hours remaining to him in practicing gymnastics, and after an infinite number of attempts, succeeded in managing after a fashion to get up half a score of rungs.

“Come, that is all right,” he said to himself; “I am now sure of my affair; and besides, if I stuck half way, ‘love would lend me his wings.’”

And laden with his ladder and his pigeon-cage, he set out for the abode of Juliet, who lived near. Her room looked into a little garden, and had indeed a balcony. But the room was on the ground floor, and the balcony could be stepped over as easily as possible. Hence Rodolphe was completely crushed when he perceived this local arrangement, which put to naught his poetical project of an escalade.

“All the same,” said he to Juliet, “we can go through the episode of the balcony. Here is a bird that will arouse us to-morrow with his melodious notes, and warn us of the exact moment when we are to part from one another in despair.”

And Rodolphe hung up the cage beside the fireplace.

The next day at five in the morning the pigeon was exact to time, and filled the room with a prolonged cooing that would have awakened the two lovers—if they had gone to sleep.