some water?
Marcel
Water in wine? That’s like Platonism in love.
Phemie
What is Platonism?
Musette
Stupidities—the disease of men who don’t dare to embrace women.
Phemie
Fie! The horror.
Musette (embracing Marcel)
Let’s drink our pure wine.
Marcel
And long live youth!
All (as they drink)
Long live youth.
Chorus (all)
Our future must shine
In the sun of our twenty years.
Let’s love and sing together,
Youth is too short.
Schaunard
Armed with patience
Against evil destiny,
Courage and hope,
We mould our bread.
Our careless attitude
To the fanfares of our song
Makes our misery happy,
Youth is too short.
Chorus
Our future must shine
In the sun of our twenty years.
Let’s love and sing together,
Youth is too short.
Marcel
If the chosen mistress,
Who by luck loves us
And makes our poetry bloom
With the flame of her glance,
Knowing her taste for being beautiful,
Without causing us pain—
Let’s love her all the same—sweet infidel.
Youth is too short.
Chorus
Our future must shine
In the sun of our twenty years.
Let’s love and sing together,
Youth is too short.
Musette
Since the most beautiful things,
Love affairs and beauty
Like lilies and roses,
Have only the season of Summer,
When May in flowering arbors
Drapes the green flag of Spring,
Let’s love and sing some more.
Youth is very short.
Chorus
Our future must shine
In the sun of our twenty years.
Let’s love and sing together,
Youth is too short.
Baptiste (at the back, utters a scream)
Ah!
All
What is it?
Baptiste
Monsieur Durandin! Monsieur Durandin! I notice his carriage—and quick—quick!
Marcel
The devil!
Schaunard
Let’s help the waiter.
(Schaunard puts a bottle in his pocket. Phemie puts cakes and fruits in her pockets.)
Rodolphe
Gentlemen! I am desolated! But—
(All fill the hamper which they carry behind the pavilion.)
Marcel
We understand perfectly.
Rodolphe
We will see each other again soon. There’s time to pack my suitcase and not to embrace my uncle.
Colline (in the back)
The carriage is approaching.
Rodolphe
Wait for me in the little wood that adjoins the garden.
Phemie
But, which way to leave?
Baptiste
Not by the door.
Musette
Over the wall.
Marcel
Doubtless.
Baptiste
The carriage is entering the courtyard.
Musette and Phemie
Save yourself if you can!
(Musette and Phemie go over the balustrade. Marcel shakes Rodolphe’s hand and jumps in his turn. Colline stops and returns.)
Colline
Ah! My God! I’ve forgotten my books.
Schaunard
You will take them another time.
(Colline vanishes.)
Schaunard
Say, Monsieur Rodolphe, I left a chicken leg.
Rodolphe
