
There is another knock: a neighbor, Mimì, says her candle has gone out on the drafty stairs. As the friends depart for a celebration at the nearby Café Momus, Rodolfo promises to join them soon, staying behind to finish writing an article. Plying the older man with wine, they urge him to tell of his flirtations, then throw him out in mock indignation. But while they celebrate their unexpected fortune, the landlord, Benoit, arrives to collect the rent.

They are joined by their comrades - Colline, a young philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician who has landed a job and brings food, fuel and funds. In their Latin Quarter garret, the painter Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm by burning pages from Rodolfo's latest drama.
