RUD. (_gently lowering her_) Gently, for goodness' sake! MIMI. Yes, forgive me: now it's over. (MUSETTA _and_ MARCEL_ cautiously enter; _MUSETTA_ carrying a muff, and her companion a phial._) MUS. (_to RUDOLPH_) Sleeping? RUD. (_approaching MARCEL_) Just resting. MAR. I have seen the doctor. He'll come--I bade him hasten. Here's the tonic. (_Takes a spirit lamp, and placing it upon the table, lights it._) MIMI. Who is it? MUS. I--Musetta. (_Approaches Mimi and gives her the muff. Helped by Musetta, she sits up in bed, and, with almost infantine glee, seizes the muff_) MIMI. So soft it is and feathery! No more will my poor fingers be frozen, For this muff shall keep them warm. (_to _Rudolph) Did you give me this present? MUS. (_eagerly_) Yes! MIMI. You thoughtless fellow! Thank you. It cost you dear. (Rudolph _bursts into tears_) Weep not: I'm better. Why should you weep for me? Here love . . . ever with you! . . . (_thrusts her hands into the muff; then she gradually grows drowsy, gracefully nodding her head, as one who is overcome by sleep_) My hands are much warmer: now I will sleep! (RUDOLPH,_ reassured at seeing _MIMI_ fall asleep, gently moves away from the bedside, and motioning the others not to make any noise, approaches _MARCEL.) RUD. What said the doctor? MAR. He'll come. MUS. (_who is busily heating the medicine, brought by _MARCEL_, over the spirit-lamp, as she unconsciously murmurs a prayer_) Oh! Mary! Blessed Virgin! Save, of thy mercy, this poor maiden! Save her, Madonna mine, from death! (Rudolph, Marcel _and_ Schaunard_ whisper together. Every now and then _Rudolph_ goes on tiptoe to the bed, and then rejoins his companions. _Musetta_, interrupting, bids _Marcel_ place a book upright on the table, so as to shade the lamp._) Here there should be a shade, Because the lamp is flickering! Like this. (_resuming her prayer_) And, oh! may she recover! Madonna! holy mother! I merit not thy pardon, But our little Mimi is an angel from Heaven! (Rudolph _approaches _Musetta_, while _Schaunard_ goes on tiptoe to the bedside; with a sorrowful gesture he goes back to _Marcel.) RUD. I still have hope. Do you think it serious? MUS. Not serious. SCH. (_hoarsely_) Marcel, she is dead! (_Marcel in his turn goes up to the bed, and retreats in alarm; a ray of sunshine falls through the window upon Mimi's face; Musetta points to her cloak, which, with a grateful glance, Rudolph takes, and standing upon a chair, endeavors to form a screen by stretching the cloak across the window-pane._) COL. (_quietly entering and putting some money on the table near Musetta_) How is she? RUD. See, now! She's tranquil. (_RUDOLPH, turning round, sees MUSETTA, who makes a sign to him that the medicine is ready; getting off the chair, he is suddenly aware of the strange demeanor of MARCEL and SCHAUNARD._)