Cyrano De Bergerac Part 8

RAGUENEAU [driving along the [driving along the POETS] I want to read you a little thing of mine.... POETS] I want to read you a little thing of mine....

FIRST POET [despairingly, his mouth full] But the provisions....

SECOND POET Shall not be parted from us! [They follow RAGUENEAU in procession, after making a raid on the eatables.] [They follow RAGUENEAU in procession, after making a raid on the eatables.]

SCENE V.

Cyrano, Roxane, the Duenna

CYRANO If I feel that there is so much as a glimmer of hope ... I will out with my letter! ... [ROXANE, masked, appears behind the gla.s.s door, followed by the DUENNA.] [ROXANE, masked, appears behind the gla.s.s door, followed by the DUENNA.]

CYRANO [instantly opening the door] [instantly opening the door] Welcome! Welcome! [Approaching the [Approaching the DUENNA.] Madame, a word with you! DUENNA.] Madame, a word with you!

THE DUENNA A dozen.

CYRANO Are you fond of sweets?

THE DUENNA To the point of indigestion!

CYRANO [s.n.a.t.c.hing some paper bags off the counter] [s.n.a.t.c.hing some paper bags off the counter] Good. Here are two sonnets of Benserade's ... Good. Here are two sonnets of Benserade's ...37 THE DUENNA Pooh!

CYRANO Which I fill for you with grated almond drops.

THE DUENNA [with a different expression] [with a different expression] Ha! Ha!

CYRANO Do you look with favor upon the cate they call a trifle?

THE DUENNA I affect it out of measure, when it has whipped cream inside.

CYRANO Six shall be yours, thrown in with a poem by Saint-Amant. 38 38 And in these verses of Chapelain I place this wedge of fruit-cake, light by the side of them.... Oh! And do you like tarts ... little jam ones ... fresh? And in these verses of Chapelain I place this wedge of fruit-cake, light by the side of them.... Oh! And do you like tarts ... little jam ones ... fresh?

THE DUENNA I dream of them at night!

CYRANO [loading her arms with crammed paper bags] [loading her arms with crammed paper bags] Do me the favor to go and eat these in the street. Do me the favor to go and eat these in the street.

THE DUENNA But ...

CYRANO [pus.h.i.+ng her out] [pus.h.i.+ng her out] And do not come back till you have finished! And do not come back till you have finished! [He closes the door upon her, comes forward toward [He closes the door upon her, comes forward toward ROXANE, ROXANE, and stands, bareheaded, at a respectful distance and stands, bareheaded, at a respectful distance.]

SCENE VI.

Cyrano, Roxane, the Duenna for a moment

CYRANO Blessed forevermore among all hours the hour in which, remembering that so lowly a being still draws breath, you were so gracious as to come to tell me ... to tell me? ...

ROXANE [who has removed her mask] [who has removed her mask] First of all, that I thank you. For that churl, that c.o.xcomb yesterday, whom you taught manners with your sword, is the one whom a great n.o.bleman, who fancies himself in love with me.... First of all, that I thank you. For that churl, that c.o.xcomb yesterday, whom you taught manners with your sword, is the one whom a great n.o.bleman, who fancies himself in love with me....

CYRANO De Guiche?

ROXANE [dropping her eyes] [dropping her eyes] Has tried to force upon me as a husband. Has tried to force upon me as a husband.

CYRANO Honorary? [Bowing.] [Bowing.] It appears, then, that I fought, and I am glad of it, not for my graceless nose, but your thrice-beautiful eyes. It appears, then, that I fought, and I am glad of it, not for my graceless nose, but your thrice-beautiful eyes.

ROXANE Further than that ... I wished ... But, before I can make the confession I have in mind to make, I must find in you once more the ... almost brother, with whom as a child I used to play, in the park-do you remember?-by the lake!

CYRANO I have not forgotten. Yes ... you came every summer to Bergerac.

ROXANE You used to fas.h.i.+on lances out of reeds ...

CYRANO The silk of the ta.s.selled corn furnished hair for your doll...

ROXANE It was the time of long delightful games ...

CYRANO And somewhat sour berries ...

ROXANE The time when you did everything I bade you!

CYRANO Roxane, wearing short frocks, was known as Magdeleine.

ROXANE Was I pretty in those days?

CYRANO You were not ill-looking.

ROXANE Sometimes, in your venturesome climbings you used to hurt yourself. You would come running to me, your hand bleeding. And, playing at being your mamma, I would harden my voice and say ... [She takes his hand.] "Will you never keep out of mischief?" [She stops short, amazed.] Oh, it is too much! Here you have done it again! [CYRANO tries to draw back his hand.] tries to draw back his hand.] No! Let me look at it! ... Aren't you ashamed? A great boy like you! ... How did this happen, and where? No! Let me look at it! ... Aren't you ashamed? A great boy like you! ... How did this happen, and where?

CYRANO Oh, fun ... near the Porte de Nesle.

ROXANE [sitting down at a table and dipping her handkerchief into a gla.s.s of water] [sitting down at a table and dipping her handkerchief into a gla.s.s of water] Let me have it. Let me have it.

CYRANO [sitting down too] So prettily, so cheeringly maternal!

ROXANE And tell me, while I wash this naughty blood away ... with how many were you fighting?

CYRANO Oh, not quite a hundred.

ROXANE Tell me about it.

CYRANO No. What does it matter? You tell me, you ... what you were going to tell me before, and did not dare ...

ROXANE [without releasing his hand] [without releasing his hand] I do dare, now. I have breathed in courage with the perfume of the past. Oh, yes, now I dare. Here it is. There is someone whom I love. I do dare, now. I have breathed in courage with the perfume of the past. Oh, yes, now I dare. Here it is. There is someone whom I love.

CYRANO Ah! ...

ROXANE Oh, he does not know it.

CYRANO Ah! ...

ROXANE As yet ...

CYRANO Ah !...

ROXANE But if he does not know it, he soon will.

CYRANO Ah! ...

ROXANE A poor boy who until now has loved me timidly, from a distance, without daring to speak....

CYRANO Ah! ...

ROXANE No, leave me your hand. It is hot, this will cool it ... But I have read his heart in his face.

CYRANO Ah! ...

ROXANE [completing the bandaging of his hand with her small pocket-handkerchief ] And, cousin, is it not a strange coincidence-that he should serve exactly in your regiment! ] And, cousin, is it not a strange coincidence-that he should serve exactly in your regiment!

CYRANO Ah !...

ROXANE [laughing] [laughing] Yes. He is a cadet, in the same company! CYRANO Ah! ... Yes. He is a cadet, in the same company! CYRANO Ah! ...

ROXANE He bears plain on his forehead the stamp of wit, of genius ! He is proud, n.o.ble, young, brave, handsome....

CYRANO [rising, pale] [rising, pale] Handsome !... Handsome !...

ROXANE What ... what is the matter?

CYRANO With me? ... Nothing! ... It is ... it is ... [Showing his hand, smiling.] You know! ... It smarts a little ...

ROXANE In short, I love him. I must tell you, however, that I have never seen him save at the play.

CYRANO Then you have never spoken to each other?

ROXANE Only with our eyes.

CYRANO But, then ... how can you know? ...

ROXANE Oh, under the lindens of Place Royale, people will talk. A trustworthy gossip told me many things!

CYRANO A cadet, did you say?

ROXANE A cadet, in your company.

CYRANO His name?

ROXANE Baron Christian de Neuvillette.

CYRANO What? He is not in the cadets.

ROXANE He is! He certainly is, since morning. Captain Carbon de Castel-Jaloux.

CYRANO And quickly, quickly, she throws away her heart! ... But my poor little girl ...

THE DUENNA [opening the door at the back] [opening the door at the back] Monsieur de Bergerac, I have eaten them, every one! Monsieur de Bergerac, I have eaten them, every one!

CYRANO Now read the poetry printed upon the bags! [The [The DUENNA DUENNA disappears] disappears] My poor child, you who can endure none but the choicest language, who savor eloquence and wit, ... if he should be a barbarian! My poor child, you who can endure none but the choicest language, who savor eloquence and wit, ... if he should be a barbarian!

ROXANE No! no! ... He has hair like one of D'Urfe's heroes! 39 39 CYRANO If he had on proof as homely a wit as he has pretty hair!

ROXANE No! No! ... I can see at a single glance, his utterances are fine, pointed ...

CYRANO Ah, yes! A man's utterances are invariably like his moustache ! ... Still, if he were were a ninny? ... a ninny? ...

ROXANE [stamping with her foot] I should die, there!

CYRANO [after a time] [after a time] You bade me come here that you might tell me this? I scarcely see the appropriateness, Madame. You bade me come here that you might tell me this? I scarcely see the appropriateness, Madame.

ROXANE Ah, it was because someone yesterday let death into my soul by telling me that in your company you are all Gascons, ... all!

CYRANO And that we pick a quarrel with every impudent fledgling, not Gascon, admitted by favor to our thoroughbred Gascon ranks? That is what you heard?

ROXANE Yes, and you can imagine how distracted I am for him!

CYRANO [in his teeth] [in his teeth] You well may be! You well may be!

ROXANE But I thought, yesterday, when you towered up, great and invincible, giving his due to that miscreant, standing your ground against those caitiffs, I thought "Were he but willing, he of whom all are in awe ..."

CYRANO Very well, I will protect your little baron.

ROXANE Ah, you will ... you will protect him for me? ... I have always felt for you the tenderest regard!

CYRANO Yes, yes.

ROXANE You will be his friend?

CYRANO I will!

ROXANE And never shall he have to fight a duel?

CYRANO I swear it.

ROXANE Oh, I quite love you! ... Now I must go. [She hurriedly resumes her mask, throws a veil over her head; says absentmindedly] [She hurriedly resumes her mask, throws a veil over her head; says absentmindedly] But you have not yet told me about last night's encounter. It must have been amazing! ... Tell him to write to me. [ But you have not yet told me about last night's encounter. It must have been amazing! ... Tell him to write to me. [She kisses her hand to kisses her hand to him him.] I love you dearly!