Rosencrantz

“ Shakespeare might have met Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the white streets of London, or seen the serving-men of rival houses bite their thumbs at each other in the open square; but Hamlet came out of his soul, and Romeo out of his passion. ”

“ HAMLET. Do the boys carry it away?
ROSENCRANTZ. Ay, that they do, my lord. Hercules and his load too.
HAMLET. It is not very strange; for my uncle is King of Denmark, and those that would make mouths at him while my father lived, give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little. ’Sblood, there is something in this more than natural, if philosophy could find it out.
[Flourish of trumpets within.]
GUILDENSTERN. There are the players.
HAMLET. Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come. The appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony. ”

“ * * * * I know of nothing in all drama more incomparable from the point of view of art, nothing more suggestive in its subtlety of observation, than Shakespeare's drawing of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They are Hamlet's college friends. They have been his companions. They bring with them memories of pleasant days together. At the moment when they come across him in the play he is staggering under the weight of a burden intolerable to one of his temperament. The dead have come armed out of the grave to impose on him a mission at once too great and too mean for him. ”

“ And a learned man, too. He went to the University of Berlin for four years, and knew more than any other man in Rotfernberg. Yes indeed, a very fine man.”
The tailor blew his nose with vigor, and his listeners did likewise.
"And poor Fräulein Feldenpflanz! She loved her brother very dearly. She has no one else in the world. What will she do now?”
The tailor and his listeners all shook their heads sadly.
"Even now she sits beside him. For two days she has watched him, lying like life, so calm, and prays for his soul. We all know how he drifted away from God. ”

“ Tush, desire hath no respect of persons: Cupid is blind and shooteth at random, as soon hitting a rag as a robe, and piercing as soon the bosom of a captive as the breast of a libertine. Thou speakest it, poor Rosalynde, by experience; for being every way distressed, surcharged with cares, and overgrown with sorrows, yet amidst the heap of all these mishaps, love hath lodged in thy heart the perfection of young Rosader, a man every way absolute as well for his inward life, as for his outward lineaments, able to content the eye with beauty, and the ear with the report of his virtue. ”

“ 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) . ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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:
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. . . ”

“ I have known him, when merely directing an orderly to carry a dispatch from one point to another, grow so excited, vehement, and incoherent as to utterly confound the messenger. In great danger as in small [Pg 261] things, this nervousness incapacitated him from the intelligible direction of his officers or effective execution of his plans. He possessed no control over himself, and consequently was not capable of directing others.
WILLIAM S. ROSECRANS.
Rosecrans was not an impressive man. It was too apparent that all he did was for "effect," in the theatrical sense. ”

“ 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 toward her) :
What is it?
THE SISTER:
Ragueneau would see you, Madame.
ROXANE:
Let him come. ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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! ”

“ Follow thou her steps, Rosalynde, and the rather, for that thou art an exile, and banished from the court; whose distress, and it is appeased with patience, so it would be renewed with amorous passions. Have mind on thy forepassed fortunes; fear the worst, and entangle not thyself with present fancies, lest loving in haste, thou repent thee at leisure. Ah, but yet, Rosalynde, it is Rosader that courts thee; one who as he is beautiful, so he is virtuous, and harboreth in his mind as many good qualities as his face is shadowed with gracious favors ”

“ 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:
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. ”

“ She arrived in Bryanston Square for her visit with exactly the right frocks, with her spirits high, and her bloom unimpaired, in spite of the hard life she led. Youth and high spirit will carry all before them. Mr. Rosenberg, when his astute eye rested upon the charming creature, became suddenly aware of her as an incarnate temptation to his son Gerald, upon whom all his hopes were concentrated.
Mr. Rosenberg was not without good impulses. He desired to befriend this beautiful girl to whom Fate had shown herself so cruel. ”

“ Thou knowst me not—I am thy Rosinberg,
Thy dearest, truest friend, thy loving kinsman;
Thou dost not say to me. Why art thou come?
Bas. Shame knows no kindred; I am fall'n, disgrac'd;
My fame is gone, I cannot look upon thee.
Ros. My Basil, noble spirit! talk not thus!
The greatest mind untoward fate may prove:
Thou art our gen'rous, valiant leader still,
Fall'n as thou art—and yet thou art not fall'n;
Who says thou art, must put his hairness on,
And prove his words in blood.
Bas. Ah Rosinberg! this is no time to boast! ”

“ Scene 5.IV. Roxane alone. Two sisters, for a moment.
ROXANE:
Ah! what a beauty in September’s close!
My sorrow’s eased. April’s joy dazzled it,
But autumn wins it with her dying calm.
(She seats herself at the embroidery frame. Two sisters come out of the
house, and bring a large armchair under the tree) :
There comes the famous armchair where he sits,
Dear faithful friend!
SISTER MARTHA:
It is the parlor’s best!
ROXANE:
Thanks, sister.
(The sisters go) :
He’ll be here now.
(She seats herself. A clock strikes) :
The hour strikes. ”

“ Love souseth [1] as low as she soareth high: Cupid shoots at a rag as soon as at a robe; and Venus' eye that was so curious, sparkled favor on pole-footed [2] Vulcan. Fear not, man, women's looks are not tied to dignity's feathers, nor make they curious esteem where the stone is found, but what is the virtue. Fear not, forester; faint heart never won fair lady. But where lives Rosalynde now? at the court?"
[Footnote 1: swoops, a term used in falconry.]
[Footnote 2: club-footed.]
"Oh no," quoth Rosader, "she lives I know not where, and that is my sorrow ”

“ Like a furious bull Bideskúty faced his creditor.
“Man, do you dare to say ...”
“I only dare humbly,” interrupted András with absolute calm, “to try and see justice done, and to help your lordship in your great difficulty. I am neither noble, nor learned, my education is what a kind and clever priest has given me, in the intervals of cultivating the soil, and I am not clever enough to read in the minds of other men. Your lordship has told me one thing: Rosenstein tells a different tale ... unfortunately the Jew holds proofs of his assertion, and you have but your word.” ”

“ ROSALYNDE'S PASSION "Infortunate Rosalynde, whose misfortunes are more than thy years, and whose passions are greater than thy patience! The blossoms of thy youth are mixed with the frosts of envy, and the hope of thy ensuing fruits perish in the bud. Thy father is by Torismond banished from the crown, and thou, the unhappy daughter of a king, detained captive, living as disquieted in thy thoughts as thy father discontented in his exile. Ah Rosalynde, what cares wait upon a crown! what griefs are incident to dignity! what sorrows haunt royal palaces! ”

“ Rosaleen went down the steps of the house with a strange feeling of coldness. A hard, scheming woman, that’s what she was, determined to use whatever advantage a niggardly fate had given her. Not a loving or tender thought was in her head, nothing but her odious triumph.
She reached the street and was half-way along the block when she saw him coming. She knew him, even in the dark, his heavy, vehement stride, the soft hat pulled so low over his eyes, the unbuttoned overcoat swaying from his big shoulders. ”

“ Choose not a fair face with an empty purse, but say as most women use to say:
Si nihil attuleris, ibis Homere foras.
Why, Rosalynde! can such base thoughts harbor in such high beauties? can the degree of a princess, the daughter of Gerismond harbor such servile conceits, as to prize gold more than honor, or to measure a gentleman by his wealth, not by his virtues? No, Rosalynde, blush at thy base resolution, and say, if thou lovest, 'either Rosader or none!' And why? because Rosader is both beautiful and virtuous. ”

“ Here is a fair maid who prefers Jevons' "Elements of Logic" to Debrett's "Peerage," and a bunch of mignonette to a tiara of diamonds.' How new, how picturesque, and how refreshing!"
Rosetta gazed in blank wonderment at the imbittered Richard, who, with arms folded and a caustic frown, was haranguing away as if to conjure from him a whole army of demons.
She was not of a mold to stand by and see another really suffer.
"I will do something for you, Richard!" she cried at length. "My lover shall not think me hard. I will go with you, Richard, and let the admiral and the cowman console each other. ”