Part 58 (1/2)

”But since when?”

”Two months ago, already.”

”Have you been playing tricks on the viscount, then?”

”No,” said she, glancing at Rodolphe, who had taken his place in the darkest corner of the room, ”the viscount kicked up a row with me on account of some verses that were written about me. We quarrelled, and I sent him about his business. He is a nice skin flint, I can tell you.”

”But,” said Marcel, ”he had rigged you out very finely, judging by what I saw the day I met you.”

”Well,” said Mimi, ”would you believe it, that he took everything away from me when I left him, and I have since heard that he raffled all my clothes at a wretched table d'hote where he used to take me to dine. He is wealthy enough, though, and yet with all his fortune he is as miserly as a clay fireball and as stupid as an owl. He would not allow me to drink wine without water, and made me fast on Fridays. Would you believe it, he wanted me to wear black stockings, because they did not want was.h.i.+ng as often as white ones. You have no idea of it, he worried me nicely I can tell you. I can well say that I did my share of purgatory with him.”

”And does he know your present situation?” asked Marcel.

”I have not seen him since and I do not want to,” replied Mimi. ”It makes me sick when I think of him. I would rather die of hunger than ask him for a sou.”

”But,” said Marcel, ”since you left him you have not been living alone.”

”Yes, I a.s.sure you, Monsieur Marcel,” exclaimed Mimi quickly. ”I have been working to earn my living, only as artificial flower making was not a very flouris.h.i.+ng business I took up another. I sit to painters. If you have any jobs to give me,” she added gaily.

And having noticed a movement on the part of Rodolphe, whom she did not take her eyes off whilst talking to his friend, Mimi went on:

”Ah, but I only sit for head and hands. I have plenty to do, and I am owed money by two or three, I shall have some in a couple of days, it is only for that interval that I want to find a lodging. When I get the money I shall go back to my own. Ah!” said she, looking at the table, which was still laden with the preparation for the modest feast which the two friends had scarcely touched, ”you were going to have supper?”

”No,” said Marcel, ”we are not hungry.”

”You are very lucky,” said Mimi simply.

At this remark Rodolphe felt a horrible pang in his heart, he made a sign to Marcel, which the latter understood.

”By the way,” said the artist, ”since you are here Mimi, you must take pot luck with us. We were going to keep Christmas Eve, and then--why--we began to think of other things.”

”Then I have come at the right moment,” said Mimi, casting an almost famished glance at the food on the table. ”I have had no dinner,” she whispered to the artist, so as not to be heard by Rodolphe, who was gnawing his handkerchief to keep him from bursting into sobs.

”Draw up, Rodolphe,” said Marcel to his friend, ”we will all three have supper together.”

”No,” said the poet remaining in his corner.

”Are you angry, Rodolphe, that I have come here?” asked Mimi gently.

”Where could I go to?”

”No, Mimi,” replied Rodolphe, ”only I am grieved to see you like this.”

”It is my own fault, Rodolphe, I do not complain, what is done is done, so think no more about it than I do. Cannot you still be my friend, because you have been something else? You can, can you not? Well then, do not frown on me, and come and sit down at the table with us.”

She rose to take him by the hand, but was so weak, that she could not take a step, and sank back into her chair.

”The heat has dazed me,” she said, ”I cannot stand.”

”Come,” said Marcel to Rodolphe, ”come and join us.”