Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/376

read through Rodolphe’s verses, “why do you write verses about her?”

“Alas!” replied the poet, “I take my poetry where I can find it.”

For a week he worked at this little poem. When he had finished it he read it to Marcel, who expressed himself satisfied with it, and who encouraged Rodolphe to utilize in other ways the poetical vein that had come back to him.

“For,” remarked he, “it was not worth while leaving Mimi if you are always to live under her shadow. After all, though,” he continued, smiling, “instead of lecturing others, I should do well to lecture myself, for my heart is still full of Musette. Well, after all, perhaps we shall not always be young fellows in love with such imps.”

“Alas!” said Rodolphe, “there is no need to say to one’s youth, ‘Be off with you.’”

“That is true,” observed Marcel, “but there are days on which I feel I should like to be a respectable old fellow, a member of the Institute, decorated with several orders, and, having done with the Musettes of this circle of society, the devil fly away with me if I would return to it. And you,” he continued laughing, “ would you like to be sixty?”

“To-day,” replied Rodolphe, “I would rather have sixty francs.”

A few days later, Mademoiselle Mimi having gone into a café with young Vicomte Paul, opened a magazine, in which the verses Rodolphe had written on her were printed.

“Good,” said she, laughing at first; “here is my friend Rodolphe saying nasty things of me in the papers.”

But when she had finished the verses she remained intent and thoughtful. Vicomte Paul guessing that she was thinking of Rodolphe, sought to divert her attention.

“I will buy you a pair of earrings,” said he.

“Ah!” said Mimi, “you have money, you have.”