| |
| THE VICOMTE is wearing a brow of gloom | |
| As he mounts the stair to his favorite room. | |
| “Breakfast for two!” the garçons say, | |
| “Then the pretty young lady is coming to-day!” | |
| But the patron mutters, A Dieu ne plaise! | 5 |
| I want no clients from Père la Chaise. | |
| Silver and crystal—a splendid show! | |
| And a damask cloth white as driven snow. | |
| The vicomte sits down with a ghastly air,— | |
| His vis-à-vis is an empty chair. | 10 |
| But he calls to the garçon, “Antoine! Vite! | |
| Place a stool for the lady’s feet.” | |
| “The lady, monsieur?” (in a wavering tone). | |
| “Yes—when have you known me to breakfast alone? | |
| Fill up her glass! Versez! Versez! | 15 |
| You see how white are her cheeks to-day: | |
| Sip it, my darling, ’t was ordered for thee.” | |
| He raises his glass, “A toi, Mimi!” | |
| The garçon shudders, for nothing is there | |
| In the lady’s place but an empty chair. | 20 |
| But still, with an air of fierce unrest, | |
| The vicomte addresses an unseen guest. | |
| “Leave us, Antoine: we have much to say, | |
| And time is precious to me to-day.” | |
| When the garçon was gone he sprang up with a start: | 25 |
| “Mimi is dead of a broken heart. | |
| Could I think, when she gave it with generous joy, | |
| A woman’s heart such a fragile toy? | |
| Her trim little figure no longer I see! | |
| Would I were lying with thee, Mimi! | 30 |
| For what is life but a hell to me? | |
| What splendor and wealth but misery?” | |
| A jet of flame and a whirl of smoke! | |
| A detonation the silence broke. | |
| The landlord enters, and lying there | 35 |
| Is the dead vicomte, with a stony glare | |
| Rigidly fixed on an empty chair. | |
| “Il faut avertir le commissaire! | |
| Ma foi! Chez Brébant ces choses sont rares!” | |
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