| The Barrière d' Enfer. At the Barrière toll gates. Running by outside the gate is the highway to faraway Orléans. It's a foggy February morning. Between the high houses on the left, a Tavern and the small customs guard house; to the right is the Passage d'Enfer; on the left, the highway to Saint-Jacques. Light shines out from one of the Taverns ground floor windows, overlooking the gate. It's towards the end of February, there is snow everywhere. The first uncertain light of dawn emerges on the scene. Seated in front of a brazier dozing, are Customs officers. From the Tavern, at intervals comes shouting, clinking of glasses, and laughter. A customs officer exits from the tavern with wine. The barrier gate is locked. (Behind the locked gate, stomping their feet from the cold and blowing on their numb hands, stand some street sweepers) Sweepers Hey there! guards!... You, open up!... Hey! there! We're from Gentilly!... we're the street sweepers!... (Stomping their feet) The snow is falling... Hey there!... we're freezing cold! A Customs officer (Sleepily standing up and stretching his arms) I'm coming! |
| (He opens the gate, the street sweepers enter and head off along the Passage d' Enfer. The Customs officer closes the gate up again) Voices from inside (from the Tavern, accompanying the song by striking their glasses with knives) He, who in drinking has found pleasure in his glass. ah! in the ardour of kisses he has found love! Musetta -- (from the Tavern) Ah! if pleasure is to found in a glass, then sweet love is found on youthful lips! Voices from inside the Tavern Tra la tra la... Eva and Noah! Milkmaids -- (from outside the gate) Hello there! Hello there! (An officer comes out of the Customs office Guard house, he gives orders to open the gate) Customs official The milkmaids are already here! |
| Carters (The ringing of little bells and cracks of a whip heralds a covered wagon passing by outside the gates, a lit lantern hangs between its wheels. It heads along the Boulevard) (inside the the gates) Hello there! Milkmaids -- (nearby) Hello there! (the fog begins to clear, dawn is breaking. The customs officers are checking and allowing people through the gates) Good day! Good day! Good day! (They go off along different roads) Peasants (entering the scene with hampers in their arms) (to Customs officials) Butter and cheese! Chickens and Eggs! (They pay, and the customs officers let them pass) (Talking amongst themselves) Which part are you going to? To Saint Michele! We will find you later then! At midday! |
| (They leave for various streets) (the Customs officers move the benches and brazier out of the way) (Mimì, arriving from the direction of Passage d' Enfer, enters the guard area. Looking around carefully she tries to recognize the places, but she is seized with a violent fit of coughing, so goes to the first Plane tree. When she returns she sees the Sergeant, so approaches him) Mimì -- (to the Sergeant) Excuse me please Sir, would this be the tavern... (not remembering the name) where the painter is working? Sergeant -- (indicating the Tavern) Over there. Mimì Thank you! (A maid comes out of the Tavern; Mimì approaches her) |
| Good lady, may I ask you to do me a favour? Would you find me the Painter Marcello? I need to see him, the matter's urgent. Please tell him quietly that Mimì is waiting. (the maid re-enters the Tavern) Sergeant -- (to a passer-by) You there, what's in the basket? Customs official (searching the basket) Nothing! Sergeant Pass! (The bells of the Maria Teresa hostel ring for Matins. It's a new day, a day of winter, sad and foggy. Some couples leave the Tavern to return home) Marcello (Coming out of the Tavern, surprised to see Mimì) Mimì! Mimì I hoped to find you here. Marcello All month we have been living at this little Tavern. Musetta teaches singing to those that stay here. I painted those soldiers on the facade there. (Mimì coughs) It's cold, come along inside! Mimì Is Rodolfo in there? Marcello Yes Mimì I cannot enter, no, no! Marcello -- (surprised) Why not? Mimì -- (bursting into tears) Oh, good Marcello, help me! Marcello What's wrong, what's happened? |
| Mimì -- (in desperation) Rodolfo,... Rodolfo loves me, but flees me, my poor Rodolfo is jealous; he is in torment. The slightest gesture, a smile, a flower will arouse his suspicions. Then he grows vexed and angry. At night I pretend to be sleeping, I feel him staring intently at my face as if to see my dreams. He shouts at me so harshly "You're not right for me, so find yourself another" "You're not right for me" Alas, Alas! What can I do? It's the conflict within him that's speaking, I know; but what can I say to him Marcello? Marcello When two people are like that, they shouldn't live together! I flirt with Musetta and our flirting unites us, because our love is joyous! Songs and laughter, are the flowers of our enduring love! Mimì You're right, we cannot live together, we must separate, We have tried... Several times, but in vein. Please won't you help us? Marcello Right! I'll awaken him now. Mimì He's sleeping? Marcello (watching Rodolfo inside the Tavern) He landed here an hour before Sunrise and fell asleep on a bench. You see him? (Signalling Mimì to look through the Tavern's window) (Mimì is persistently coughing) (compassionately) What a cough! |
| Mimì Since yesterday I have been exhausted, I am chilled to the bone. Last night, before he left me, he said "it's all over" I left the house at daybreak and came to find you! Marcello (observing Rodolfo inside the the Tavern) Rodolfo's waking... now he's getting up! There now he's seen me... He's coming. Mimì Don't let him see me! Marcello You must return home.... Mimì... you cannot stay. You must not make a scene here. (He gently pushes Mimì away from the corner of the Tavern, where heads turn in curiosity. Marcello runs to meet Rodolfo) Rodolfo (Coming out the tavern he sees Marcello and hastens towards him) Marcello. Finally! Here no one will hear us. I want a separation from Mimì. |
| Marcello Therefore you're fickle? Rodolfo Once, I believed my heart was dead forever, but the splendour of those blue eyes revived it. Now tedium attacks it. Marcello So you wish to renew the funeral? (Mimì not being able to hear their words, used the opportunity to get closer. Unnoticed, she succeeds in returning to behind a Plane tree, near to where the two friends talk) |
| Rodolfo Always! Marcello Change the tune! It’s only the love of the crazy that is dismal and extracts tears. If love does not laugh and sparkle then it's weak and hoarse. You are jealous. Rodolfo A little. Marcello Hot-headed, ill-natured, full of prejudgments, boorish and stubborn! Mimì -- (to herself) Don't make him cross... I can't bear it, poor little me! |
| Rodolfo -- (with bitter irony) Mimì is a minx, she flirts with everyone. A fop of a young Viscount has only to make eyes at her, and she provocatively lifts her skirts and shows off her ankle in a most promising way. Marcello Do I have to say it? I don't think you are sincere. Rodolfo Alright then, no, I'm not. In vain, in vain I try to hide my true torture. Mimì means everything in the world to me. I love her dearly, but I'm frightened, I'm so very frightened! Mimì is very sick! Every day she wanes. The poor little thing is doomed to having no life! |
| Marcello-- (surprised) Mimì? Mimì -- (to herself) What can he mean? Rodolfo A terrible cough shakes her chest and weak frame, and yet her pinched cheeks are flushed... Marcello Poor Mimì! (He tries to move Rodolfo away) Mimì -- (weeping) Alas, I'm dying! |
| Rodolfo My room is a squalid hideout...The fire is always burnt out. The north wind of Tramontana creeps in and whistles around the room. And yet she sings and smiles, but the remorse is killing me! I'm the reason that this fatal illness is attacking her. Mimì is a hothouse flower, poverty is making her blooms wither. Love is no longer enough to retrieve her life! Marcello -- (interjecting at intervals) So what can be done? Oh, how wretched! Poor little thing! Poor Mimì! Mimì -- (desolate) Oh, my life! |
| (In anguish) Alas! Is it all over? My life! is it finished? Alas, I have to die! (Mimì's cough and violent sobs reveal her presence) Rodolfo (Seeing Mimì he runs to her) What? Mimì!! You're here? Then you heard what I said? Marcello So she was listening? Rodolfo Don't worry, I get worked up for nothing. (He tries to coax her into the Tavern) Come inside in the warm. Mimì No, it would stifle me in there. I will suffocate! Rodolfo Ah, Mimì! (He lovingly holds Mimì in his arms and caresses her) (From inside the tavern the brazen laughter of Musetta is heard) Marcello Is that Musetta laughing? (He runs to the window of the Tavern) Who is she laughing with? Ah, the flirt! I'll teach you to flirt! (He rushes impetuously into the Tavern) Mimì (freeing herself from Rodolfo's grasp) Farewell. Rodolfo -- (surprised) What? You're leaving? |
| Mimì -- (affectionately) I came happily from my little nest, to respond to your call of love. Yet, now Mimì must return there all alone, to make imitation flowers of silk. Farewell then, with no ill-will. Listen, please listen. Please gather up the few belongings that I have left scattered around. Locked in my little drawer there is a gold bracelet together with my prayer book. Wrap them up all together in an apron. I will send the concierge to fetch them... Pay attention, under my pillow is the pink bonnet. If you want, keep it as a souvenir of our love!... Goodbye, goodbye, without resentment. Rodolfo So is it really all over! Must you go, must you go, My little one?! Farewell, to our dreams of love!... Mimì Goodbye, sweet awakening I knew each morning! Rodolfo Goodbye, to our dreams of love! Mimì -- (smiling) Goodbye, rebukes and jealousies... Rodolfo ...that your smile would wash away! Mimì Goodbye, suspicions... Rodolfo ...kisses... Mimì ...and bitter sadness! Rodolfo ...that I, being a true poet, would rhyme with caresses! Mimì To be alone in the winter is a deathly thing! Rodolfo To be alone is a deathly thing! Mimì Alone! Mimì and Rodolfo While in Spring...the sun is a companion! Mimì The sun is a companion! (from the tavern comes sounds of plates and glasses being broken) Marcello -- (from inside) What were you doing and saying... Musetta -- (from inside) What are you saying? Marcello ...to that gentleman, so close to the fire? Musetta -- (running out) What are you saying? Mimì No one is alone in April. Marcello (Stopping her at the door of the Tavern, he turns towards Musetta) When I arrived you changed colour! Musetta (with an attitude of provocation) That gentleman asked me: "Mademoiselle, do you love to dance?"... Rodolfo One can speak with Lilies and roses. Marcello Vain, frivolous, minx! Musetta ...blushing, I responded: "I would dance from sunset to sunrise". Marcello Your words conceal dishonest thoughts. Mimì Gentle twittering can be heard from birds' nests... Musetta I want full freedom! Marcello (brushing up against Musetta) I'll teach you a lesson... Mimì and Rodolfo When the flowers bloom in Spring, we'll have the sun as our companion! Musetta What are you whining about? Marcello ...if I catch you to flirting! Musetta What you shouting about? What are you whining about? We're not married, we've not been joined at the alter! Marcello Watch out, you can't be certain that under my hat there's not a pair of horns! Musetta I dislike those lovers that that carry on like husbands... Mimì and Rodolfo The chattering of the fountains in the gentle evening breezes... Marcello I do not intend to be a laughing stock for your enterprising novices. Mimì and Rodolfo ...spreads a healing balm on human suffering. Musetta I shall make love to whom I please! Marcello Vain, frivolous, flirt! Musetta Don't you like it? Well you'll just have to except it! But Musetta is still going as she wishes! Marcello You're going! I'm very thankful! (ironically) I'll become rich now! Goodbye! Mimì and Rodolfo Would you like to wait until Spring comes again? Musetta Musetta's going! Yes, she's off! (ironically) Yes, she's off! Goodbye! Sir: it is with the greatest of pleasure I bid you goodbye! Marcello At your service, but now I'm leaving! Musetta (she runs off furiously then stops and shouts) Shop painter! Marcello (shouting at her across the scene) Viper! Musetta Toad! (flounces off) Marcello Witch! (He goes inside the Tavern) Mimì (leaves with Rodolfo) I'm yours for life. Rodolfo We'll part... Mimì We'll part when it's the season for flowers again... Rodolfo ... when it's the season for flowers again... Mimì I wish winter would be everlasting! Mimì and Rodolfo (from outside) We'll part when it's the season for flowers again! |
End of Act III