, I won't invent," replied Marcel, "but I will imitate. I remember a
play in which a sharp servant manages to get rid of three rascals as
drunk as Silenus who are at his master's."

"I recollect it," said Rodolphe, "it is in 'Kean.' Indeed, the situation
is the same."

"Well," said Marcel, "we will see if the stage holds the glass up to
human nature. Stop a bit, we will begin with Schaunard. Here, I say,
Schaunard."

"Eh? What is it?" replied the latter, who seemed to be floating in the
elysium of mild intoxication.

"There is nothing more to drink here, and we are all thirsty."

"Yes," said Schaunard, "bottles are so small."

"Well," continued Marcel, "Rodolphe has decided that we shall pass the
night here, but we must go and get something before the shops are
shut."

"My grocer lives at the corner of the street," said Rodolphe. "Do you
mind going there, Schaunard? You can fetch two bottles of rum, to be put
down to me."

"Oh! yes, certainly," said Schaunard, making a mistake in his greatcoat
and taking that of Colline, who was tracing figures on the table cloth
with his knife.

"One," said Marcel, when Schaunard had gone. "Now let us tackle Colline,
that will be a harder job. Ah! an idea. Hi, hi, Colline," he continued,
shaking the philosopher.

"What? what? what is it?"

"Schaunard has just gone, and has taken your hazel overcoat by mistake."

Colline glanced round again, and perceived indeed in the place of his
garment, Schaunard's little plaid overcoat. A sudden idea flashed across
his mind and filled him with uneasiness. Colline, according to his
custom, had been book-hunting during the day, and had bought for fifteen
sous a Finnish grammar and a little novel of Nisard's entitled "The
Milkwoman's Funeral." These two acquisitions were accompanied by seven
or eight volumes of philosophy that he had always about him as an
arsenal whence to draw reasons in case of an argument. The idea of this
library being in the hands of Schaunard threw him into a cold
perspiration.

"The wretch!" exclaimed Colline, "what did he take my greatcoat for?"

"It was by mistake."

"But my books. He may put them to some improper purpose."

"Do not be afraid, he will not read them," said Rodolphe.

"No, but I know him; he is capable of lighting his pipe with them."

"If you are uneasy you can catch him up," said Rodolphe. "He has only
just this moment gone out, you will overtake him at the street door."

"Certainly