Rocinante

“ ROXANE (smiling) :
’Tis somewhat small.
CARBON (tying the handkerchief on the staff of his lance) :
But—’tis of lace!
A CADET (to the rest) :
I could die happy, having seen so sweet a face, if I had something in my stomach—were it but a nut!
CARBON (who has overheard, indignantly) :
Shame on you! What, talk of eating when a lovely woman!. . .
ROXANE:
But your camp air is keen; I myself am famished. Pasties, cold fricassée, old wines—there is my bill of fare? Pray bring it all here. ”

“ Wherein, as in a glass, we plainly see,
That all our life is but a Tragedy?
Since mighty kings are subject to mishap—
Aye, mighty kings are subject to mishap!—
Since martial Locrine is bereft of life,
Shall Estrild live, then, after Locrine’s death?
Shall love of life bar her from Locrine’s sword?
O no, this sword, that hath bereft his life,
Shall now deprive me of my fleeting soul;
Strengthen these hands, O mighty Jupiter,
That I may end my woeful misery.
Locrine, I come; Locrine, I follow thee.
[Kill herself.]
Sound the alarm. Enter Sabren. ”

“ Unto the arch where lovely Estrild lies.
Bring her and Sabren straight unto the court;
She shall be queen in Gwendoline’s room.
Let others wail for Corineus’ death;
I mean not so to macerate my mind
For him that barred me from my heart’s desire.
THRASIMACHUS.
Hath Locrine, then, forsook his Gwendoline?
Is Corineus’ death so soon forgot?
If there be gods in heaven, as sure there be,
If there be fiends in hell, as needs there must,
They will revenge this thy notorious wrong,
And power their plagues upon thy cursed head.
LOCRINE.
What! prat’st thou, peasant, to thy sovereign? ”

“ LOCRINE.
It makes me laugh, to think that Gwendoline
Should have the heart to come in arms gainst me.
ESTRILD.
Alas, my Lord, the horse will run amain,
When as the spur doth gall him to the bone.
Jealousy, Locrine, hath a wicked sting.
LOCRINE.
Sayest thou so, Estrild, beauty’s paragon?
Well, we will try her choler to the proof,
And make her know, Locrine can brook no braves.
March on, Assarachus; thou must lead the way,
And bring us to their proud pavilion.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE IV. The field of battle Enter the ghost of Corineus with thunder and lightening. ”

“ Now, Corineus, stay and see revenge,
And feed thy soul with Locrine’s overthrow.
Behold, they come; the trumpets call them forth;
The roaring drums summon the soldiers.
Lo, where their army glistereth on the plains!
Throw forth thy lightning, mighty Jupiter,
And power thy plagues on cursed Locrine’s head.
[Stand aside]
Enter Locrine, Estrild, Assarachus, Sabren and their soldiers at one door: Thrasimachus, Gwendoline, Madan and their followers at an other. ”

“ Sits armed at all points on our dismal blades;
And cursed Estrild, that inflamed his heart,
Shall, if I live, die a reproachful death.
MADAN.
Mother, though nature makes me to lament
My luckless father’s froward lechery,
Yet, for he wrongs my Lady mother thus,
I, if I could, myself would work his death.
THRASIMACHUS.
See, madame, see, the desire of revenge
Is in the children of a tender age!
Forward, brave soldiers, into Mertia,
Where we shall brave the coward to his face.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE III. The camp of Locrine Enter Locrine, Estrild, Sabren, Assarachus and the soldiers. ”

“ This war must finish with Locrine’s death;
His death will soon extinguish our complaints.
GWENDOLINE.
O no, his death will more augment my woes.
He was my husband, brave Thrasimachus,
More dear to me than the apple of mine eye,
Nor can I find in heart to work his scathe.
THRASIMACHUS.
Madame, if not your proper injuries,
Nor my exile, can move you to revenge,
Think on our father Corineus’ words;
His words to us stands always for a law.
Should Locrine live that caused my father’s death?
Should Locrine live that now divorceth you? ”

“ SCENE IV. The camp of Locrine Enter Locrine, Camber, Corineus, Thrasimachus, Assarachus.
LOCRINE.
Now am I guarded with an host of men,
Whose haughty courage is invincible:
Now am I hemmed with troops of soldiers,
Such as might force Bellona to retire,
And make her tremble at their puissance:
Now sit I like the mighty god of war,
When, armed with his coat of Adament,
Mounted his chariot drawn with mighty bulls,
He drove the Argives over Xanthus’ streams:
Now, cursed Humber, doth thy end draw nigh. ”

“ ROXANE:
Oh, he will not importune me forever!
(Unsealing the letter) :
I love you,—therefore—
(She reads in a low voice by the aid of Ragueneau’s lantern) :
‘Lady,
The drums beat;
My regiment buckles its harness on
And starts; but I,—they deem me gone before—
But I stay. I have dared to disobey
Your mandate. I am here in convent walls.
I come to you to-night. By this poor monk—
A simple fool who knows not what he bears—
I send this missive to apprise your ear. ”

“ SCENE III. A chamber in the Royal Palace Enter Locrine alone.
LOCRINE.
Seven years hath aged Corineus lived,
To Locrine’s grief, and fair Estrild’s woe,
And seven years more he hopeth yet to live.
Oh supreme Jove, annihilate this thought!
Should he enjoy the air’s fruition?
Should he enjoy the benefit of life?
Should he contemplate the radiant sun,
That makes my life equal to dreadful death? ”

“ LOCRINE.
[Taking her up.]
Doth Estrild fall with such submission
Before her servant, king of Albion?
Arise, fair Lady; leave this lowly cheer.
Life up those looks that cherish Locrine’s heart,
That I may freely view that roseall face,
Which so intangled hath my lovesick breast.
Now to the court, where we will court it out,
And pass the night and day in Venus’ sports.
Frolic, brave peers; be joyful with your king.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. The camp of Gwendoline Enter Gwendoline, Thrasimachus, Madan and the soldiers. ”

“ That was the case with Angelo Rocco, who lives in a cave five [375] kilometres from here. They say he had quite a future before him in public life. But one night in a café the heady Corsican wine was flowing, words ran high, pistols were drawn, an opponent of Rocco was shot; and Rocco had to take to the mountains. He belongs to a very old and distinguished family, too. Every one sympathizes with him; even the gendarmes let him alone. He often comes here. He can have all I’ve got.... But, of course, they are not all like that.”
Hugh saw the inn-keeper through an increasing veil of drowsiness. ”

“ ROXANE (scornfully) .
Oh! you!
CHRISTIAN.
I must speak to you.
CYRANO (under the balcony, to Christian) .
Good! Lower your voice.
ROXANE.
No! You speak too clumsily. Better go!
CHRISTIAN.
Be pitiful!....
ROXANE.
No! You love me no more!
CHRISTIAN (prompted by Cyrano) .
You accuse me....merciful Gods!....of loving no more....when....I love more!
ROXANE (stopping as she was going to close the window) .
Why! you are improving.
CHRISTIAN (still prompted) .
Love grows stronger in the restless soul—mine—that he [Pg 115] has chosen....cruel child!....for a cradle!
ROXANE (coming out on the balcony) . ”

“ That children ought to bear unto the sire,
To love and favour Lady Gwendoline.
Consider this, that if the injury
Do move her mind, as certainly it will,
War and dissention follows speedily.
What though her power be not so great as yours?
Have you not seen a mighty elephant
Slain by the biting of a silly mouse?
Even so the chance of war inconstant is.
LOCRINE.
Peace, uncle, peace, and cease to talk hereof;
For he that seeks, by whispering this or that,
To trouble Locrine in his sweetest life,
Let him persuade himself to die the death.
Enter the Page, with Estrild and Sabren. ”

“ Good!
[Murmurs of admiration in the hall. Roxane has just appeared in her box. She seats herself in front, the duenna at the back. Christian, who is paying the Buffet-Girl, does not see her entrance.]
Second Marquis
[with little cries of joy] .
Ah, gentlemen! she is fearfully—terribly—ravishing!
First Marquis.
When one looks at her one thinks of a peach smiling at a strawberry!
Second Marquis.
And what freshness! A man approaching her too near might chance to get a bad chill at the heart?
Christian
[raising his head, sees Roxane, and catches Lignière by the arm] . ”

“ 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! ”

“ But rather joy that Locrine favours thee.
ESTRILD.
How can he favor me that slew my spouse?
LOCRINE.
The chance of war, my love, took him from thee.
ESTRILD.
But Locrine was the causer of his death.
LOCRINE.
He was an enemy to Locrine’s state,
And slew my noble brother Albanact.
ESTRILD.
But he was linked to me in marriage bond,
And would you have me love his slaughterer?
LOCRINE.
Better to live, than not to live at all.
ESTRILD.
Better to die renowned for chastity,
Than live with shame and endless infamy. ”

“ CYRANO:
Yet never till to-night my speech has sprung
Straight from my heart as now it springs.
ROXANE:
Why not?
CYRANO:
Till now I spoke haphazard. . .
ROXANE:
What?
CYRANO:
Your eyes
Have beams that turn men dizzy!—But to-night
Methinks I shall find speech for the first time!
ROXANE:
’Tis true, your voice rings with a tone that’s new.
CYRANO (coming nearer, passionately) :
Ay, a new tone! In the tender, sheltering dusk
I dare to be myself for once,—at last!
(He stops, falters) :
What say I? I know not!—Oh, pardon me—
It thrills me,—’tis so sweet, so novel. . . ”

“ It is covered with mud and dust. The curtains are closed. Two lackeys behind. It stops short.)
CARBON (shouting) .
Salute!
(Drums beat.)
GUICHE.
Lower the step!
(Two men advance rapidly. The coach door opens.)
ROXANE (jumping out of coach) .
How are you all?
(On hearing a woman's voice, they all, from a profound inclination, suddenly straighten up. Stupor.)
SCENE V. The same, ROXANE.
GUICHE.
Service of the King! You?
ROXANE.
Certainly, of the only king there is: Love!
CYRANO.
Great God.
CHRISTIAN (rushing up to her) .
You, Roxane! Wherefor?
ROXANE.
Oh! this siege was entirely too long. ”

“ ROXANE (leaning over the balcony) :
Well said!
—But why so faltering? Has mental palsy
Seized on your faculty imaginative?
CYRANO (drawing Christian under the balcony, and slipping into his place) :
Give place! This waxes critical!. . .
ROXANE:
To-day. . .
Your words are hesitating.
CYRANO (imitating Christian—in a whisper) :
Night has come. . .
In the dusk they grope their way to find your ear.
ROXANE:
But my words find no such impediment.
CYRANO:
They find their way at once? Small wonder that!
For ’tis within my heart they find their home ”

“ Roxane.
You read in such a voice—so strange—and yet—
It is not the first time I hear that voice!
[She comes nearer very softly, without his perceiving it, passes behind his chair, and, noiselessly leaning over him looks at the letter. The darkness deepens.] ”

“ ROXANE (startled) :
What! the Guards?
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! ”

“ They found the street along the river very quiet; here and there a light showed, as on the other side, a wine-shop or coffee-room; but the houses had few lights in them, and spite of the moonlight, the streets looked gloomy and desolate.
'They seem to keep dark this side of the river,' said Caper.
'Yes,' answered Rocjean, 'and live light. They go to bed for the most part early, and rise early; they economize fifty-one weeks in a year, in order to live like lords for the fifty-second—that is Carnival-week. Then you shall see these queenly Trasteverine in all their bravery, thronging the Corso. ”

“ I would fain—seeing you thus espouse my cause, Roxane—believe it a proof
of love!
ROXANE:
’Tis a proof of love!
DE GUICHE (showing some sealed papers) :
Here are the marching orders; they will be sent instantly to each company—
except—
(He detaches one) :
—This one! ’Tis that of the Cadets.
(He puts it in his pocket) :
This I keep.
(Laughing) :
Ha! ha! ha! Cyrano! His love of battle!. . .So you can play tricks on
people?. . .you, of all ladies!
ROXANE:
Sometimes!
DE GUICHE (coming close to her) :
Oh! how I love you!—to distraction! Listen! ”

“ HUBBA.
If she that rules fair Rhamnis’ golden gate
Grant us the honour of the victory,
As hitherto she always favoured us,
Right noble father, we will rule the land,
Enthronized in seats of Topaz stones,
That Locrine and his brethren all may know,
None must be king but Humber and his son.
HUMBER.
Courage, my son, fortune shall favour us,
And yield to us the coronet of bay,
That decked none but noble conquerours.
But what saith Estrild to these regions?
How liketh she the temperature thereof?
Are they not pleasant in her gracious eyes? ”