He was only seeking some legal means of continuing his singular warfare, which was "nuts" to all the Paris loungers, for the adventure had been blazed about in the lobbies of the theaters and other public places.

Dolores felt equally bound to come triumphant out of the contest.

Not a few bets were made upon it.
It was then that Mr.Birne thought of the piano as an instrument of warfare.

It was not so bad an idea, the most disagreeable of instruments being well capable of contending against the most disagreeable of birds.
As soon as this lucky thought occurred to him, he hastened to put it into execution, hired a piano, and inquired for a pianist.

The pianist, it will be remembered, was our friend Schaunard.