Light My Candle?

Mimì's voice -- (from outside)
Excuse me please.

Rodolfo -- (raising himself)
A woman!

Mimì's voice
Please, my candle has extinguished.

Rodolfo -- (He runs to open the door)
Here!
Mimì
(On the doorstep, with an extinguished
candle in one hand and a key in the other)

Would you?

Rodolfo
Do come in for a moment.

Mimì
It is not necessary.

Rodolfo -- (insisting)
I beg you... come in.

(Mimì enters, but her breathing
suddenly turns to gasps)
Rodolfo -- (Thoughtful)
Are you unwell?

Mimì
No.. it's nothing.

Rodolfo
You look so pallid!

Mimì
I'm breathless, it's those stairs...

(She faints, and Rodolfo hardly has time
to support her. He carefully lays her down
on a chair. Meanwhile from the hands of
Mimì the candlestick and key fall)

Rodolfo -- (embarrassed)
What do I do?

(He fetches a little water and
splashes some on Mimì's face)
There!
How ill she looks.
(Mimì regains consciousness)
Do you feel better?

Mimì
Yes.

Rodolfo
It's very cold in here, sit closer to the fire...
One moment..
a little wine?

Mimì
Thank you.

Rodolfo
(He gives the glass to her and pours her a drink)
For you.

Mimì
Just a little, only a little.

Rodolfo
So?
Mimì
Thank you.
(she drinks)

Rodolfo -- (to himself)
What a lovely young girl!

Mimì
Now if you wouldn't mind lighting my candle.
Its all passed now.

Rodolfo
So much haste?

Mimì
Yes.

(Rodolfo notices the candlestick on
the floor, picks it up, lights the candle and
gives it to Mimì without a word)

Mimì
Thank you and good evening.
(she leaves)
Rodolfo
(he accompanies her to the door)
Good evening.
(Returning to his work)

Mimì -- (returning)
Oh! dear, how thoughtless of me!
Where can I have left the
key to my room?

Rodolfo
Don't stand in the doorway; your candle's
starting to waver in the draft.

(Mimì's candle goes out once again)
Rodolfo
(He runs over with his candle,
but as he gets close to the
door it goes out)

Oh Heavens! my own has gone out now!

Mimì
Ah!
Where can I have lost my key?...

(Rodolfo closes the door)

Rodolfo
Pitch-black!

Mimì
Oh, how unfortunate!

Rodolfo
Where can it be?

Mimì -- (She cautiously advances)
What a nuisance you have for a neighbour...

Rodolfo
(turning towards Mimì's voice)
You're not a nuisance.

Mimì
What a nuisance you have for a neighbour...

Rodolfo
(Searching the floor for the
key with his feet)
What are you saying? No not at all.
Mimì
Help me look.

Rodolfo
I'll look.

Mimì
Where can it be?

Rodolfo
(finding the key)
Ah!

(putting the key in his pocket)
Mimì
It is found?

Rodolfo
No!

Mimì
It seemed to me...

Rodolfo
In truth, no...

Mimì
Please look.

Rodolfo
I'm looking!

(Pretending to search and guided
by the voice and footsteps of Mimì,
Rodolfo moves towards her, head
bowed, hoping to touch her.
Suddenly he finds himself close to
Mimì, and their hands meet)

Mimì -- (surprised)
Oh!
Rodolfo
(Holding Mimì's hand in a
voice that's full of emotion)

This little hand is frozen,
let me warm it here in mine.
What’s the use in searching?
It's far too dark to find it.
But by our good fortune,
it's a night lit by the moon,
and up here the moon
is our closest of neighbours.

(As Mimì tries to withdraw her hand)

One moment, mademoiselle,
let me tell you in just two words,
who I am, what I do,
and how I live. Shall I?

(Mimì says nothing: Rodolfo lets go
of Mimì's hand.
Full of emotion she reaches back
for a chair upon which to drop)
Who am I?
I am a poet.
What do I do here? I Write.
And how do I live? I live
in my contented poverty,
as if a grand lord, I squander
odes and hymns of love.
In my dreams and reveries,
I build castles in the air,
where in spirit I am a millionaire.
Yet sometimes from my safe,
all my gems are stolen
by two thieves, a pair of lovely eyes!
They entered with you just now!
Now all past dreams have disappeared.
Beautiful dreams I'd cherished,
immediately vanished without a trace!
But the theft does not wound me deeply,
because, in their room they have
been replaced by sweet hope!
Now you know all about me.
Will you tell me who you are?
Will you say? Please do tell!

Mimì
(She is a little hesitant, then decides
to speak; sitting throughout)
Yes, they always called Mimi,
but my real name is Lucia.
This story of mine is brief:
To linen and silk I embroider,
at my home or away...
I have a quiet, but happy life,
and my pastime
is making lilies and roses.
I delight in these pleasures.
These things have such sweet charm,
they speak of love, of Spring,
of dreams and visions and
the things that have poetic names.
Are you understanding me?

Rodolfo
Yes.
Mimì
They always call me Mimi,
I know not why!
All alone
I make myself dinner.
I don't attend mass often,
but I pray to the Lord frequently.
I live by myself, all alone,
in my little white room.
I look upon the roofs and the sky.
But when the thaw comes,
the first warmth of the sun is mine,
the first kiss of April is mine!
In a vase a Rosebud blooms,
I watch as petal by petal unfolds,
with its delicate fragrance of a flower!
But the flowers that I sew,
alas, have no fragrance.
There's nothing more
I can tell you about myself.
I am your neighbour, who knocks
at your door so late disturbing
you at inopportune moment.

Schaunard -- (from the courtyard)
Hey! Rodolfo!

Colline -- (from the courtyard)
Rodolfo!

Marcello -- (from the courtyard)
Hello! Don't you hear us?

(At the calling of his friends,
Rodolfo starts to show impatience)

Slowcoach!

Colline
Rhymester!

Schaunard
Down with you, idle one!

(Getting more impatient Rodolfo
holds the window open a little in
order to answer to his friends
who are down in the courtyard:
from the open window the moon
shines into the room)

Rodolfo
I have three more lines to write, I'll be quick.
Mimì
(approaches the window a little)
Who's that?

Rodolfo -- (to Mimì)
My friends.

Schaunard
You will hear......

Marcello
What are you doing up there all alone?

Rodolfo
No! I'm not alone. There are two of us.
Continue on to Café Momus and hold a
place for us, we won't be long.

(he remains at the window, waves
to his friends to assure they go)

Marcello, Schaunard and Colline
(Drifting away)

Momus, Momus, Momus,
quietly and discreetly we'll be on our way!
Schaunard and Colline
Momus, Momus!

Marcello
He's found his poetry!

Schaunard and Colline
Momus, Momus, Momus!

Rodolfo
Oh, beautiful maiden,...

Marcello
He's found his poetry!

Rodolfo
...Oh, how sweet your face looks,
its beauty softly kissed by the
gentle moonlight.
In you, sweet maiden,
I see the dreams of love I have
dreamt about forever.

(encircling Mimì in his arms)

Mimì -- (much affected)
Ah! Love, only you alone guide us!
Rodolfo
Such sweet love invades my soul.
I feel such joy, and love so tender.
Our kisses tremble with love.

Mimì -- (much affected)
Ah! Love, only you alone guide us!
(Almost letting go)

Mimì
His gentle sweet words delight me,
as they flatter my heart.
Love, only you alone guide us!

(Rodolfo kisses Mimì)

Mimì -- (freeing herself)
No, I beg you!

Rodolfo
You're mine now.

Mimì
Your friends are waiting.

Rodolfo
You're sending me away so soon?
Mimì -- (hesitant)
I'd like to say, but dare not.....

Rodolfo -- (with gentility)
Speak!

Mimì -- (with graceful cunning)
What if I came with you?

Rodolfo -- (surprised)
what?... Mimì!

(insinuating)
It would be nice if we could
stay here, outside its cold.

Mimì -- (with great abandonment)
I'll stay close by you.

Rodolfo
And when we return?
Mimì -- (mischievously)
Wait and find out!

Rodolfo
(he tenderly assists Mimì
with her shawl)
Take my arm, my little one.

Mimì -- (giving her arm to Rodolfo)
Sir, I'll do as you say.

(Arm in arm they start
towards the door)

Rodolfo
Tell me you love me!

Mimì -- (with abandonment)
I love you.

(they leave)

Mimì and Rodolfo -- (from outside)
Sweet love! sweet love! sweet love!