At the Garret. The same scene as act 1. (Marcello is still in front of his trestle, Rodolfo is seated at the table: they would like to convince each other that they are tirelessly working; while all they are really doing is gossiping) Marcello (continuing his narration) In a coupé? Rodolfo With a pair and livery. Musetta greeted me with laughter. I asked her, "How's your heart" she answered, "It's not beating or I don't feel it, thanks to its cover of velvet."

Marcello -- (forcing himself to laugh) Delighted to hear it. Really... Rodolfo -- (to himself) You can't fool me! You're tormented and yet you laugh. (back to work) Marcello (He paints with large brush strokes)

...Not beating? That's good! Well! I also saw... Rodolfo Musetta? Marcello Mimì. Rodolfo (Startled, he stops writing) You have seen her? (now composed) Oh, really, you've seen her? Marcello -- (stopping work) In a carriage dressed like a Queen.

Rodolfo -- (cheerfully) Hurrah! I'm glad about that. Marcello -- (to himself) (Liar, he's consumed with love) Rodolfo Back to work. Marcello Back to work. (they resume their work) Rodolfo (tossing his pen down)

What a dreadful pen! (remaining seated and pensive) Marcello (tossing his paint brush down) What a dreadful brush! (He looks at his painting fixedly, then secretly, so Rodolfo won't see him, he takes from his pocket a silk ribbon and kisses it)

Rodolfo Oh, Mimì will you never return. Oh, beautiful days, tiny hands, the fragrance of your tresses... Marcello (putting the ribbon away and examining his painting again) I don't know why it is, but my brush keeps working and paints colours against my will... Rodolfo ...Your snow white neck! Oh! Mimì, how brief my youth was! Marcello ...Though I wish to paint skies or landscapes or Winter or Spring, it seems to trace two dark pupils and a provocative mouth, which becomes Musetta's face again...

Rodolfo (He pulls Mimi's bonnet out of the table drawer) (to himself) And you, soft bonnet, that she left concealed under the pillow, you know all our happiness. Come to my heart! My poor heart is dead, since our love is dead. Marcello ...And there's Musetta's face with all its charms and betrayals. Musetta in the meantime is enjoying life and my cowardly heart calls for her and waits, my cowardly heart...

Rodolfo (He places the bonnet on his heart, then wanting to hide his emotion from Marcello, he casually asks) What's the time of day? Marcello (Remaining thoughtful, he is shaken by the words of Rodolfo and gladly answers him) Time to eat yesterdays lunch. Rodolfo And Schaunard has not returned yet? (Enter Schaunard and then Colline, the first with four round loaves the other with a package)

Schaunard Here we are. Rodolfo So, what's this? Marcello Well, what's this? (Schaunard places the loaves on the table) (with contempt) Bread? Colline (He opens the package and extracts a Herring, he places this on the table)

And a dish worthy of Demosthenes: a Herring... Schaunard ...salted. Colline Our dinner is on the table. (They all sit at the table pretending to enjoy a lavish lunch) Marcello A plentiful feast equal to a grand festival. Schaunard (He places Colline's hat on the table and puts a bottle of water in it)

Now we've put the champagne on ice. Rodolfo (To Marcello, offering him some bread) Which will you have my Lord Baron; Trout or Salmon? Marcello (agreeably he thanks him, then he turns to Schaunard and presents another mouthful of bread) Your Grace, would you like some tongue of Parrot? Schaunard (Kindly he refuses, pours a glass of water then passes it to Marcello. Their only glass passes from one to the other)

Thank you, but I'm full. This evening I'm going to a ball. (Colline, who has devoured his meal in great haste, gets up) Rodolfo -- (to Colline) Already satisfied? Colline (with importance and gravity) I have to make haste. The King awaits me! Marcello (thoughtfully) Is there a drama being plotted?

Rodolfo Something like a mystery? (He stands up, approaches Colline, and says to him with comic curiosity) Something like a mystery? Marcello What a mystery? Colline (He swaggers around with an air of grandeur and great importance) The King calls me forth to the Ministry. Rodolfo, Schaunard e Marcello (Surrounding Colline they all make grand bows to him) Splendid!

Colline (with an air of patronage) However... I will see... Guizot! Schaunard -- (to Marcello) Hand me the goblet! Marcello (He gives their only glass to him) Yes, you drink, I'm over-indulging! Schaunard (Solemnly he stands up on a chair and raises his glass high) Now if this noble assembly will allow me...

Rodolfo and Colline (interrupting) Enough! Marcello Weak! Colline What a concoction! Marcello Away with you man! Colline (taking the glass away from Schaunard) Give the goblet to me! Schaunard (He signals to his friends to let him continue) (inspired)

...I'm irresistibly inspired by the whim of song!... The others -- (yelling) No! Schaunard (yielding) ...Choreographic action then?... The others (Applauding, they surround Schaunard and make him come down from the chair) Yes! Yes!... Schaunard A dance accompanied with vocal music! Colline Let's clear the room for dancing...

(They carry the table and chairs to one side to make ready for dancing) 'Gavotta!' Marcello 'Minuet!' Rodolfo 'Pavane!' Schaunard (stressing the Spanish dance) 'Fandango!' Colline I propose the 'quadrille'. (the others approve of this) Rodolfo -- (cheerfully) Please take your partners. Colline I will call!

(He pretends to seeing to great matters in order to arrange the quadrille) Schaunard (Improvising, he beats the time with great comic importance) Lallera, lallera, lallera, la! Rodolfo (He approaches Marcello, and with a grand bow offers his hand) Charming delightful maiden... Marcello (with modesty, imitating the feminine voice) Respect my modesty, sir! (in his natural voice) I beg of you! Schaunrd Lallera, lallera, lallera, la!

Colline (Dictating the figures to be danced) 'Balancez'. (Rodolfo and Marcello dance the quadrille) Marcello Lallera, lallera, lallera! Schaunard -- (provocatively) First there is the 'Rond'. Colline -- (provocatively) No, you animal!! Schaunard (with exaggerated contempt)

That's no way to talk, manners! (Rodolfo and Marcello continue to dance) Colline -- (offended) If I'm not mistaken, you're insulting me. Draw your weapon! (He runs to the fireplace and seizes the tongs) Schaunard (Schaunard also runs to the fireplace to fetch a shovel) Ready, on guard! (positioning himself ready to strike) Taste this! I intend to drink your blood. Colline (in a similar manner) One of us here is likely to be disemboweled!

Schaunard Get the stretcher ready! Colline Get the cemetery ready! (Schaunard and Colline fight) Rodolfo e Marcello (cheerfully) While this dispute carries on, let's try the lively turns and jumps of the 'Rigaudon'... (They dance around the feigning duellists, laughing and cheering. The duellists pretend to become more and more fierce) (Suddenly the door is flung wide open and Musetta enters in state of great agitation) Marcello Musetta Musetta -- (out of breath) It's Mimì... (In their anxiety they all gather around Musetta)

It's Mimì, she followed me, but she's very ill... Rodolfo She's here? Musetta ...She couldn't make it all the way up the stairs. (Mimì can be seen through the open doorway, sitting at the top of the stairs) Rodolfo Ah! (He rushes towards Mimì; Marcello also runs up) Schaunard -- (to Colline) Let's move the bed a little closer. (They bring the bed nearer)

Rodolfo (With the aid of Marcello he carries Mimì over to the bed) There! (quietly to his friends) Would you fetch her a drink. (Musetta fetches a glass of water and gives Mimì a sip) Mimì -- (With great passion) Rodolfo! Rodolfo (Carefully, helping Mimì onto the bed) Hush now, rest. Mimì (holding Rodolfo in her arms) Oh, my Rodolfo! May I stay here with you?

Rodolfo Ah! my dearest Mimì, always, always! (Gently he persuades Mimì to lie down on the bed and covers her with a blanket, then with great care slips a pillow under her head) Musetta (Drawing the others aside, she speaks in a quiet voice) I heard someone say that Mimì had left the Viscount, and that she was dying. I didn't know where she was living, so I searched, and searched... At last I saw her pass by in the street. Dragging herself along with difficulty, she said to me: "I cannot hold out any longer...I'm dying! I feel it"... ...Will you come with me, Musetta?... (Becoming agitated, she doesn't realise that she has raised her voice)

...I want to die near him! Perhaps he's waiting for me... Marcello (motioning to Musetta speak softly, he guides her away from Mimì) Shush!! Mimì I feel so much better... I'd like to have a look around. (with a sweet smile) Ah, how lovely it is here! I feel life returning here... (sitting up a little and embracing Rodolfo again) No! you won't leave me any more! Rodolfo Heavenly lips, still you speak to me!

Musetta (aside, to the other three) What do we have in the house? Marcello Nothing! We have nothing! Musetta No coffee? No wine? Marcello (with great despondency) Nothing! Ah! poverty is against us! Schaunard (Whilst observing Mimì cautiously, he draws Colline apart and sadly says) She might only live for half an hour! Mimì I am so cold!... If only I had a muff! How will I ever be able to get my hands warm? (she coughs) Rodolfo (He takes Mimì's hands in his to warm them)

Here in mine! Hush now! Talking only tires you. Mimì It's just a little cough! I'm used to it. (Seeing Rodolfo's friends, she calls them by name: attentively they get closer to her) Hello, Marcello, Schaunard, Colline... hello. (smiling) You are all here, all here smiling to Mimì. Rodolfo Quiet, don't talk, don't talk. Mimì I'll speak softly, don't be frightened.

Marcello, (motioning him to come nearer) You must listen, your Musetta is a good girl. Marcello I know, I know it. (Holding his hand out to Musetta) (Schaunard and Colline go away sadly: Schaunard sits at the table, with his face between his hands; Colline remains pensive) Musetta (Leading Marcello away from Mimì, she takes her earrings off and hands them to him, speaking softly) Take these, sell them to buy some cordial and send for a doctor!...

Rodolfo Rest now. Mimì You won't leave me? Rodolfo No! No! (Mimì dozes off little by little, Rodolfo fetches a chair and sits near the bed) (Marcello gets ready to leave, Musetta stops him and once again leads him away from Mimì) Musetta Listen! Perhaps this will be the last time that Mimì expresses a desire, poor little thing! I want to buy that muff, I'll come with you. Marcello -- (touched) You are good, my Musetta. (Musetta and Marcello hastily leave) Colline (While Musetta and Marcello were speaking, he had taken off his overcoat) (With deep feeling)

Faithful old garment, listen, I'll rest down here, you however, must climb the sacred mount of piety. My thanks you must receive. Never has your poor worn back bowed before the rich and powerful. Deep in your calm cavernous pockets, you have protected philosophers and poets. Now that our happy days have fled, I must bid you farewell, faithful friend of mine. Farewell, farewell.

(Colline, makes up a bundle of the overcoat, and tucks it under his arm, but seeing Schaunard, he approaches him, taps him on the shoulder; saying sadly) Schaunard, each in different ways... (Schaunard raises his head) we can add together two acts of mercy; I... this! (He demonstrates the overcoat that's tucked under his arm) And you... (indicating Rodolfo with his head bent over the sleeping Mimì) ...Leave them here alone together!...

Schaunard (getting to his feet) (moved) Philosopher, that's wisdom! (looking towards the bed) I'm coming! (He looks around, and in order to justify his departure, he takes the bottle of water and follows Colline down the stairs, carefully closing the door)

Mimì (Mimì opens her eyes, and seeing that they have all left, stretches her hand out towards Rodolfo, than kisses him lovingly) Have they gone? I pretended to sleep because I wanted to be left alone with you. I have many things I want to tell you, well only one, but it's huge as the ocean, as deep and infinite as the sea... (She puts her arms around Rodolfo's neck) You are my entire life, you are my love!

Rodolfo Ah, Mimì, my beautiful Mimì! Mimì (She let's herself fall into his arms) Do you still find me beautiful? Rodolfo As lovely as the dawn. Mimì You are wrong in your comparison You should say: lovely as the sunset. "They always call me Mimi, I know not why!... ". Rodolfo (touching and affectionate) Back in its nest now, the Swallow is gaily chirping. (taking Mimì's bonnet out from where it has rested on his heart, he holds it out to her)

Mimì (cheerfully) My little bonnet... Ah! (Mimì leans her head towards Rodolfo, so he lay the bonnet on her head, she then sits up close to Rodolfo and remains there with her head resting on his chest) Do you remember when I came here the first time? Rodolfo Do I remember! Mimì My candle had gone out... Rodolfo You were frightened and nervous! Then you lost your key...

Mimì So to try and find it, you had to grope your way around... Rodolfo ...and I hunted and hunted. Mimì My fine young man, Though now I can say; it was found in an instant... Rodolfo I helped destiny... Mimì (remembering the encounter with Rodolfo on Christmas eve) It was dark; and so you didn't see my blushes... (she whispers the words of Rodolfo)

"This little hand is frozen... let me warm it here in mine..." In the darkness you held my hand to warm it... (Mimì has a sudden spasm of coughing, she falls back with exhaustion) Rodolfo (Alarmed, he gentle supports her) Oh God! Mimì! Schaunard (At this moment Schaunard returns: hearing the cry of Rodolfo he hurries up to Mimì) What's happened?

Mimì (She opens her eyes and smiles to reassure Rodolfo and Schaunard) Nothing, I'm fine. Rodolfo (He carefully lays Mimì down on the pillow) Quiet, for goodness sake. Mimì Yes, yes, I'm sorry, now I will be good. (Musetta and Marcello enter cautiously, Musetta carries a muff and Marcello a small bottle)

Musetta -- (to Rodolfo) Is she sleeping? Rodolfo (approaching Marcello) Yes, she's resting. Marcello I have seen the doctor! He'll come; I told him to make haste. Here's the cordial. (He fetches a spirit lamp, puts it on the table and lights it) Mimì Who's speaking? Musetta (approaches Mimì and hands her the muff) It's me, Musetta.

Mimì (Helped by Musetta, Mimì sits? up in bed, and with childish joy? she takes the muff) Oh, how lovely and soft it is! No longer will my hands be frozen. The warmth will make them beautiful... (to Rodolfo) Was it you who gave me this?

Musetta (Quickly) Yes. Mimì (Reaching her hand towards Rodolfo) My carefree Rodolfo! Thank you, but it must have cost a lot. (Rodolfo bursts into tears) You're crying? I'm fine... Why are you crying like this? (She puts her hands in the muff and gracefully tilts her head on the muff as she goes drifts off to sleep) I'm here... my love,... always with you! My hands... in the warm... and... to sleep... Silence............

Rodolfo (Reassured in seeing that Mimì is sleeping, he cautiously moves away from her, and motions to the others not to make a noise, he approaches Marcello) What did the doctor say? Marcello He'll come. Musetta (Unconsciously murmuring a prayer as she warms the medicine bought by Marcello, on the spirit stove) (Rodolfo, Marcello and Schaunard talk quietly amongst themselves; every so often Rodolfo takes a step towards the bed, watching Mimì, then returns to his friends)

Blessed Madonna, Please have mercy on this poor little soul, so she does not have to die... (interrupting her prayer, to Marcello) We need a shelter here to stop the flame from flickering. (Marcello puts a book upright on the table to form a windscreen for the lamp) There. (Returning to her prayer) ...and that she will recover. Holy Virgin, I am unworthy of forgiveness, while instead Mimì is an angel from heaven. (while Musetta prays, Rodolfo approaches her)

Rodolfo I still have hope. Do you think it's serious? Musetta It can't be. Schaunard (Walking on the tips of his feet he goes to check on Mimì. Making a gesture of pain, he returns to Marcello) (in a choked voice) Marcello, Mimì is with the spirits, she has died...

(In the meantime Rodolfo has noticed that the sun streaming through the attic window is shining on Mimì's face. He tries to find something for shade, Musetta notices and indicates her cloak, he jumps on a chair and studies which way to hang it up over the window) (Marcello approaches the bed to see for himself, he moves away filled with fear for his friend; meanwhile Colline enters, and places some money on the table next to Musetta)

Colline Musetta, take this! (Then seeing Rodolfo has not succeeded in positioning the cloak he runs to help, asking after Mimì) How is she?... Rodolfo You can see!... she is peaceful.

(He turns towards Mimì, at the same moment Musetta signs that the medicine is ready, he gets down from the chair. but in his hurry to get to Musetta he notices the strange behaviour of Marcello and Schaunard) (With a voice choked by panic and emotion) What does it mean all this coming and going, Why are you staring at me?...

Marcello (Not holding back his feelings any more, he runs to Rodolfo and embraces him, crying out in a distressed voice) Courage! Rodolfo (He dashes to Mimi's bedside, scoops her up in his arms crying out in extreme desperation) (weeping) Mimì... Mimì!.. (He throws himself on Mimì's lifeless body)

(Musetta, in her fright runs to Mimi's bedside, letting out a distressing cry. She falls to her knees, weeping at Mimì's feet. At the opposite end is Rodolfo. Schaunard, worn-out and confused, sits on a chair at the left of the scene. Colline goes to the foot of the bed, where he remains disturbed at the swiftness of the tragedy. Marcello, turning away from the scene, sobs)