Part 7 (1/2)
”That is the position,” observed Schaunard.
”This lodging suits me,” said Marcel.
”And for my part is has never suited me better,” said Schaunard.
”Well then, we can settle this business,” resumed Marcel, ”stay with me, I will apply house-room, and you shall supply the furniture.”
”And the rent?” said Schaunard.
”Since I have some money just now I will pay it, it will be your turn next time. Think about it.”
”I never think about anything, above all accepting a suggestion which suits me. Carried unanimously, in point of fact, Painting and Music are sisters.”
”Sisters-in-law,” observed Marcel.
At that moment Colline and Rodolphe, who had met one another, came in.
Marcel and Schaunard informed them of their partners.h.i.+p.
”Gentlemen,” said Rodolphe, tapping his waistcoat pocket, ”I am ready to stand dinner all round.”
”That is just what I was going to have the honour of proposing,” said Colline, taking out a gold coin which he stuck in his eye like a gla.s.s.
”My prince gave me this to buy an Arabic grammar, which I have just paid six sous ready cash for.”
”I,” said Rodolphe, ”have got the cas.h.i.+er of the 'Scarf of Iris' to advance me thirty francs under the pretext that I wanted it to get vaccinated.”
”It is general pay-day then?” said Schaunard, ”there is only myself unable to stand anything. It is humiliating.”
”Meanwhile,” said Rodolphe, ”I maintain my offer of a dinner.”
”So do I,” said Colline.
”Very well,” said Rodolphe, ”we will toss up which shall settle the bill.”
”No,” said Schaunard, ”I have something far better than that to offer you as a way of getting over the difficulty.”
”Let us have it.”
”Rodolphe shall pay for dinner, and Colline shall stand supper.”
”That is what I call Solomonic jurisprudence,” exclaimed the philosopher.
”It is worse than Camacho's wedding,” added Marcel.
The dinner took place at a Provencal restaurant in the Rue Dauphine, celebrated for its literary waiters and its ”Ayoli.” As it was necessary to leave room for the supper, they ate and drank in moderation. The acquaintance, begun the evening before between Colline and Schaunard and later on with Marcel, became more intimate; each of the young fellows hoisted the flag of his artistic opinions, and all four recognized that they had like courage and similar hopes. Talking and arguing they perceived that their sympathies were akin, that they had all the same knack in that chaff which amuses without hurting, and that the virtues of youth had not left a vacant spot in their heart, easily stirred by the sight of the narration of anything n.o.ble. All four starting from the same mark to reach the same goal, they thought that there was something more than chance in their meeting, and that it might after all be Providence who thus joined their hands and whispered in their ears the evangelic motto, which should be the sole charter of humanity, ”Love one another.”
At the end of the repast, which closed in somewhat grave mood, Rodolphe rose to propose a toast to the future, and Colline replied in a short speech that was not taken from any book, had no pretension to style, and was merely couched in the good old dialect of simplicity, making that which is so badly delivered so well understood.