Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand

“ CYRANO.
He pays less dear
Than I myself; when a verse pleases me
I pay myself, and sing it to myself!
DE GUICHE.
You are proud.
CYRANO.
Really ? You have noticed that ?
A CADET
[entering, with a string of old battered plumed beaver hats, full of holes, slung on his sword] ,
See, Cyrano, this morning, on the quay
What strange bright- feathered game we caught! The hats
O’ the fugitives . . ,
Carbon. 'Spolia opima!
All
[laughing] .
Ah ! ah ! ah ! ”

“ Ragueneau
[sobbing] .
Ah! how they laughed!
Cyrano.
Look you, it was my life To be the prompter every one forgets!
[To Roxane.]
That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke
—Under your balcony, you remember? Well!
There was the allegory of my whole life:
I, in the shadow, at the ladder's foot,
While others lightly mount to Love and Fame!
Just! very just! Here on the threshold drear
Of death, I pay my tribute with the rest,
To Molière's genius, Christian's fair face!
[The chapel-bell chimes. The Nuns are seen passing down the alley at the back, to say their office.] ”

“ Not to mount high, perchance, but mount alone !
LE BRET.
Alone, an if you will ! But not with hand
'Gainst every man ! How in the devil's name
Have you conceived this lunatic idea,
To make foes for yourself at every turn!
CYRANO.
By dint of seeing you at every turn
Make friends, and fawn upon your frequent friends
With mouth wide smiling, slit from ear to ear! ”

“ Hark, Gascons, to the music!
[The Cadets sit with bowed heads; their eyes have a far-off look as if dreaming, and they surreptitiously wipe away their tears with their cuffs and the corner of their cloaks.]
Carbon
[to Cyrano in a whisper] .
But you make them weep!
Cyrano.
Ay, for home-sickness. A nobler pain than hunger,—'tis of the soul, not of the body! I am well pleased to see their pain change its viscera. Heart-ache is better than stomach-ache. ”

“ Cyrano
[rising] .
To Montfleury—come, tell me! This Silenus,
Big-bellied, coarse, still deems himself a peril—
A danger to the love of lovely ladies,
And, while he sputters out his actor's part,
Makes sheep's eyes at their boxes—goggling frog!
I hate him since the evening he presumed
To raise his eyes to here... Meseemed I saw
A slug crawl slavering o'er a flower's petals!
Le Bret
[stupefied] .
How now? What? Can it be...?
Cyrano
[laughing bitterly] .
How now? What? Can it be...? That I should love?... ”

“ Hate you Montfleury?
Cyrano
[graciously, still seated] .
Hate you Montfleury? Youthful gander, know
I have two reasons,—either will suffice.
Primo. An actor villainous! who mouths,
And heaves up like a bucket from a well
The verses that should, bird-like, fly! Secundo—
That is my secret...
The Old Bourgeois
[behind him] .
That is my secret... Shameful! You deprive us
Of the Clorise! I must insist...
Cyrano
[turning his chair towards the Bourgeois, respectfully] .
Of the Clorise! I must insist... Old mule!
The verses of old Baro are not worth
A doit! ”

“ Le Bret.
Montfleury first, the bourgeois, then De Guiche,
The Viscount, Baro, the Academy...
Cyrano.
Enough! I am o'erjoyed!
Le Bret.
Enough! I am o’erjoyed! But these strange ways,
Where will they lead you, at the end? Explain
Your system—come!
Cyrano.
Your system—come! I in a labyrinth
Was lost—too many different paths to choose;
I took...
Le Bret.
I took... Which?
Cyrano.
I took... Which? Oh! by far the simplest path...
Decided to be admirable in all!
Le Bret
[shrugging his shoulders] .
So be it! But the motive of your hate
To Montfleury—come, tell me! ”

“ How mean you to play your revenge on Cyrano? Perchance you think to put him i' the thick of the shots? Nay, believe me, that were a poor vengeance—he would love such a post better than aught else! I know the way to wound his pride far more keenly!
De Guiche.
What then? tell . . .
Roxane.
If, when the regiment march to Arras, he were left here with his beloved boon companions, the Cadets, to sit with crossed arms so long as the war lasted! There is your method, would you enrage a man of his kind; cheat him of his chance of mortal danger, and you punish him right fiercely. ”

“ CYRANO.
Roxane expects a letter.
CHRISTIAN.
Woe the day !
CYRANO.
How?
CHRISTIAN.
I am lost if I but ope my lips I
CYRANO.
Why so ?
CHRISTIAN.
I am a fool could die for shame !
CYRANO.
None is a fool who knows himself a fool
And you did not attack me like a fool.
CHRISTIAN.
Bah ! One finds battle-cry to lead th' assault!
I have a certain military wit,
But, before women, can but hold my tongue.
Their eyes ! True, when I pass, their eyes are kind . . ”

“ The whole background of the stage is crossed by an alley of chestnut-trees leading on the right hand to the door of a chapel seen through the branches. Through the double row of trees of this alley are seen lawns, other alleys, clusters of trees, winding of the park, the sky.
The chapel opens by a little side-door on to a colonnade which is wreathed with autumn leaves, and is lost to view a little further on in the right-hand foreground behind the boxwood.
It is autumn. All the foliage is red against the fresh green of the lawns. The green boxwood and yews stand out dark. ”

“ Play a long time, - and play out of tune !
[To the Duenna.]
. . . Whether her soul's elected is ever the same, ever faultless !
Roxane
[coming out of the house] .
Ah ! How handsome he is, how brilliant a wit ! And - how well I love him !
Cyrano
[smiling]
Christian has so brilliant a wit ?
Roxane.
Brighter than even your own, cousin !
Cyrano.
Be it so, with all my heart !
Roxane.
Ah ! methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe a man on this earth skilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings that mean so much - that mean all ! ”

“ Cyrano
[crossing his arms] .
I’m hungry!All your thoughts of meat and drink!
Bertrand the fifer!—you were shepherd once,—
Draw from its double leathern case your fife,
Play to these greedy, guzzling soldiers. Play
Old country airs with plaintive rhythm recurring,
Where lurk sweet echoes of the dear home-voices,
Each note of which calls like a little sister,
Those airs slow, slow ascending, as the smoke-wreaths
Rise from the hearthstones of our native hamlets,
Their music strikes the ear like Gascon patois!...
[The old man seats himself, and gets hit flute ready.] ”

“ Cyrano
[pushing her out] .
And come not back till the very last crumb be eaten!
[He shuts the door, comes down towards Roxane, and, uncovering, stands at a respectful distance from her.]
SCENE VI
Cyrano, Roxane.
Cyrano.
Blessed be the moment when you condescend,—
Remembering that humbly I exist—
To come to meet me, and to say ... to tell? . .
Roxane
[who has unmasked] .
To thank you first of all. That dandy count,
Whom you checkmated in brave sword-play
Last night, ... he is the man whom a great lord,
Desirous of my favour... ”

“ Silence, Christian ! Hush !
Roxane.
[leaning over] ,
What whisper you ?
Cyrano.
I chid myself for my too bold advances ;
Said, ' Silence, Christian ! '
[The lutes begin to play.]
Hark ! Wait a while, . . .
Steps come !
[Roxane shuts the window. Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a merry, the other a melancholy, tune.]
Why, they play sad - then gay - then sad !
What ? Neither man nor woman ? - oh ! a monk !
[Enter a Capuchin Friar, with a lantern. He goes from house to house, looking at every door.]
SCENE VII
Cyrano, Christian, a Capuchin Friar. ”

“ De guiche.
Ay, where serves your cousin, the swaggering boaster. I will find a way to revenge myself on him at Arras.
Roxane
[choking] .
What mean you ? The Guards go to Arras ?
De guiche
[laughing] ,
Bethink you, is it not my own regiment ?
Roxane
[falling seated on the bench aside] ,
Christian !
De guiche.
What ails you ?
Roxane
[moved deeply] ,
Oh I am in despair ! The man one loves ! - at the war !
De guiche
[surprised and delighted] ,
You say such sweet words to me ! 'Tis the first
time ! and just when I must quit you ! ”

“ Le Bret.
Cyrano!
Roxane.
[half fainting.]
Cyrano!Cyrano!
[All shrink back in terror.]
Cyrano.
Cyrano! Cyrano!Why, I well believe
He dares to mock my nose! Ho! insolent!
[He raises his sword.]
What say you? It is useless? Ay, I know!
But who fights ever hoping for success? ”

“ De Guiche
[rushing to Roxane, and carrying her away in his arms] .
Fly, and save her! So be it! Gain but time,
The victory's ours!
Cyrano.
The victory’s ours! Good.
[Calling out to Roxane, whom De Guiche, aided by Ragueneau, is bearing away in a fainting condition.] The victory’s ours! Good. Farewell, Roxane!
[Tumult. Shouts. Cadets reappear, wounded, falling on the scene. Cyrano, rushing to the battle, is stopped by Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is streaming with blood.] ”

“ Ragueneau.
Can we come in ?
Cyrano
[without stirring] .
Yes . . .
[Ragueneau signs to his friends, and they come in. At the same time, by door at back, enters Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, in Captain's uniform. He makes gestures of surprise on seeing Cyrano.]
Carbon.
Here he is!
Cyrano
[raising his head] .
Captain ! . .
Carbon.
[delightedly] .
Our hero ! We heard all ! Thirty or more Of my cadets are there ! . . .
Cyrano
[shrinking back] .
But . . .
Carbon.
[trying to draw him away] .
Come with me !
They will not rest until they see you !
CYRANO.
No! ”

“ Roxane.
Wait, my first duty is to these poor fellows.—Hush! In a few minutes...
Le Bret
[who had gone up to pass a loaf on the end of a lance to the sentry on the rampart] .
De Guiche!
Cyrano.
Quick! hide flasks, plates, pie-dishes, game baskets! Hurry!—Let us all look unconscious!
[To Ragueneau.]
Up on your seat!—Is everything covered up?
[In an instant all has been pushed into the tents, or hidden under doublets, cloaks, and beavers. De Guiche enters hurriedly, stops suddenly, sniffing the air. Silence.]
SCENE VII
The Same. ”

“ Monsieur Le Bret!
[To Roxane.]
A word, with your permission?
[He goes to Le Bret, and in a low voice.]
True, that none Dare to attack your friend;—but many hate him;
Yesterday, at the Queen's card-play 'twas said
'That Cyrano may die by accident!'
Let him stay in be prudent!
Le Bret
[raising his arms to heaven] .
Prudent! He!... He's coming here. I'll warn him—but!...
Roxane
[who has stayed on the steps, to a Sister who comes towards her] .
What is it?
The Sister.
Ragueneau would see you, Madame.
Roxane.
Let him come.
[To the Duke and Le Bret.] ”

“ Too fair ! In moments when my hopes rose proudest,
I never hoped such guerdon. Nought is left me
But to die now ! Have words of mine the power
To make you tremble, - throned there in the branches ?
Ay, like a leaf amongst the leaves, you tremble !
You tremble ! For I feel, - an if you will it,
Or will it not, - your hand's beloved trembling
Thrill through the branches, down your sprays of
jasmine :
[He kisses passionately one of the hanging tendrils.] ”

“ Voice of Cadets.
Upon the letter—tears! Surrender! No!
Ragueneau
[standing on the top of his carriage, watches the battle over the edge of the ramparts] .
The danger's ever greater!
Cyrano
[to De Guiche pointing to Roxane] .
The danger’s ever greater! I will charge!
Take her away!
Roxane
[kissing the letter in a half-extinguished voice] .
Take her away! O God! his tears! his blood!...
Ragueneau
[jumping down from the carriage and rushing towards her] .
She's swooned away!
De Guiche
[on the rampart—to the Cadets—with fury] .
She’s swooned away! Stand fast! ”