Cyrano De Bergerac Part 12

CYRANO [enters followed by two PAGES PAGES with theorbos with theorbos]51 I tell you it is a demi-semi-quaver! ... you demi-semi-noddle! I tell you it is a demi-semi-quaver! ... you demi-semi-noddle!

FIRST PAGE [ironically] Monsieur knows then about quavers, semi and demi?

CYRANO I know music, as do all Ga.s.sendi's disciples!

THE PAGE [playing and singing] [playing and singing] La! la! La! la!

CYRANO [s.n.a.t.c.hing the theorbo from him and continuing the musical [s.n.a.t.c.hing the theorbo from him and continuing the musical phrase] I can carry on the melody.... La, la, la, la, ... phrase] I can carry on the melody.... La, la, la, la, ...

ROXANE [appearing on the balcony] It is you? It is you?

CYRANO [singing upon the tune he is continuing] I, indeed, who salute your lilies and present my respects to your ro-o-oses! ... I, indeed, who salute your lilies and present my respects to your ro-o-oses! ...

ROXANE I am coming down! [She leaves the balcony.] [She leaves the balcony.]

THE DUENNA [pointing at the PAGES] What is the meaning of these two virtuosi? the PAGES] What is the meaning of these two virtuosi?

CYRANO A wager I won, from D'a.s.soucy. We were disputing upon a question of grammar. Yes! No! Yes! No! Suddenly pointing at these two tall knaves, expert at clawing strings, by whom he constantly goes attended, he said, "I wager a day long of music!" He lost. Until therefore the next rise of the sun, I shall have dangling after me these arch-lute players, harmonious witnesses of all I do! ...At first I liked it very well, but now it palls a little. [To the musicians] the musicians] Hey! ... Go, from me, to Montfleury, and play him a pavane! Hey! ... Go, from me, to Montfleury, and play him a pavane! ... [The ... [The PAGES PAGES go toward the back. To the go toward the back. To the DUENNA.] I have come to inquire of Roxane, as I do every evening.... DUENNA.] I have come to inquire of Roxane, as I do every evening.... [To the [To the PAGES PAGES who are leaving.] who are leaving.] Play a long time... and out of tune! [To the DUENNA] ... whether in the friend of her soul she can still detect no fault? Play a long time... and out of tune! [To the DUENNA] ... whether in the friend of her soul she can still detect no fault?

ROXANE [coming out of the house] [coming out of the house] Ah, how beautiful he is, what wit he has, how deeply I love him! Ah, how beautiful he is, what wit he has, how deeply I love him!

CYRANO [smiling] [smiling] Christian has so much wit? ... Christian has so much wit? ...

ROXANE Cousin, more than yourself!

CYRANO I grant you.

ROXANE There is not one alive, I truly believe, more apt at turning those pretty nothings which yet are everything.... Sometimes he is of an absent mood, his muse is wool-gathering, then, suddenly, he will say the most enchanting things!

CYRANO [incredulous] [incredulous] Come!... Come!...

ROXANE Oh, it is too bad! Men are all alike, narrow, narrow: because he is handsome, he cannot possibly be witty!

CYRANO So he talks of the heart in acceptable fas.h.i.+on? ROXANE Talks, cousin, is feeble.... He dissertates!

CYRANO And writes? ...

ROXANE Still better! Listen now to this ... [Declaiming.] "The more of my heart you steal from me, the more heart I have!" [Declaiming.] "The more of my heart you steal from me, the more heart I have!" [ [Triumphantly to CYRANO]. Well? ... CYRANO]. Well? ...

CYRANO Pooh!

ROXANE And to this: "Since you have stolen my heart, and since I must suffer, to suffer with send me your own!" "Since you have stolen my heart, and since I must suffer, to suffer with send me your own!"

CYRANO Now he has too much heart, now he has not enough, ... just what does he want, in the matter of quant.i.ty?

ROXANE You vex me! You are eaten up with jealousy....

CYRANO [starting] Hein? Hein?

ROXANE Author's jealousy! And this, could anything be more exquisitely tender? "Unanimously, believe it, my heart cries out to you, and if kisses could be sent in writing, Love, you should read my letter with your lips...." "Unanimously, believe it, my heart cries out to you, and if kisses could be sent in writing, Love, you should read my letter with your lips...."

CYRANO [in spite of himself smiling with satisfaction] spite of himself smiling with satisfaction] Ha! Ha! Those particular lines seem to me ... ho! ... ho! ... Ha! Ha! Those particular lines seem to me ... ho! ... ho! ... [Remembering himself, disdainfully] [Remembering himself, disdainfully] ... puny, pretty... ... puny, pretty...

ROXANE This, then...

CYRANO [delighted] [delighted] You know his letters by heart? You know his letters by heart?

ROXANE All!

CYRANO It is flattering, one cannot deny.

ROXANE In this art of expressing love he is a master!

CYRANO [modest] Oh, ... a master!

ROXANE [peremptory] [peremptory] A master! A master!

CYRANO As you please, then... a master!

THE DUENNA [who had gone toward the back, coming quickly forward] Monsieur de Guiche! [To [To CYRANO, CYRANO, pus.h.i.+ng him toward the house] pus.h.i.+ng him toward the house] Go in! It is perhaps better that he should not see you here! it might put him on the scent... Go in! It is perhaps better that he should not see you here! it might put him on the scent...

ROXANNE [to CYRANO] Yes, of my dear secret! He loves me, he is powerful, ... he must not find out! He might cut in sunder our loves... with an axe!

CYRANO [going into the house] Very well, very well. Very well, very well. [DE GUICHE appears.] [DE GUICHE appears.]

SCENE II.

Roxane, De Guiche, the Duenna in the background

ROXANE [to DE GUICHE, with a curtsey] with a curtsey] I was leaving the house. I was leaving the house.

DE GUICHE I have come to bid you farewell.

ROXANE You are going away?

DE GUICHE To war.

ROXANE Ah!

DE GUICHE I have my orders. Arras is besieged.

ROXANE Ah!... it is besieged?

DE GUICHE Yes.... I see that my departure does not greatly affect you.

ROXANE Oh!...

DE GUICHE As for me, I own it wrings my heart. Shall I see you again? ... When? ... You know that I am made commander-in-general?

ROXANE [uninterested] I congratulate you.

DE GUICHE Of the Guards.

ROXANE [starting] [starting] Ah,... of the Guards? Ah,... of the Guards?

DE GUICHE Among whom your cousin serves, ... the man of the boasts and tirades. I shall have opportunity in plenty to retaliate upon him down there.

ROXANE [suffocating] What? The Guards are going down there? DE GUICHE Surely. It is my regiment.

ROXANE [falls sitting upon the bench; aside] Christian!

DE GUICHE What is it troubles you?

ROXANE [greatly moved] This departure... grieves me mortally. When one cares for a person... to know him away at the war! This departure... grieves me mortally. When one cares for a person... to know him away at the war!

DE GUICHE [surprised and charmed] [surprised and charmed] For the first time you utter a kind and feeling word, when I am leaving! For the first time you utter a kind and feeling word, when I am leaving!

ROXANE [in a different tone, fanning herself [in a different tone, fanning herself] So ... you are thinking of revenge upon my cousin?

DE GUICHE [smiling] You side with him?

ROXANE No... against him.

DE GUICHE Do you see much of him?

ROXANE Very little.

DE GUICHE He is everywhere to be met with one of the cadets... [trying to remember] [trying to remember] that Neu ...villen ... viller ... that Neu ...villen ... viller ...

ROXANE A tall man?

DE GUICHE Light haired.

ROXANE Red haired.

DE GUICHE Good looking.

ROXANE Pooh!

DE GUICHE But a fool!

ROXANE He looks like one. [In a different tone.] [In a different tone.] Your vengeance upon Cyrano is then to place him within reach of shot, which is the thing of all he loves! ... A miserable vengeance! ... I know, I do, what would more seriously concern him! Your vengeance upon Cyrano is then to place him within reach of shot, which is the thing of all he loves! ... A miserable vengeance! ... I know, I do, what would more seriously concern him!

DE GUICHE And that is?

ROXANE Why... that the regiment should march, and leave him behind, with his beloved cadets, arms folded, the whole war through, in Paris! That is the only way to cast down a man like him. You wish to punish him? Deprive him of danger.

DE GUICHE A woman! A woman! None but a woman could devise a vengeance of the sort!

ROXANE His friends will gnaw their fists, and he his very soul, with chagrin at not being under fire; and you will be abundantly avenged! DE GUICHE [coming nearer] [coming nearer] Then you do love me a little? [ROXANE Then you do love me a little? [ROXANE smiles. smiles.] I wish to see in this fact of your espousing my grudge a proof of affection, Roxane ...

ROXANE ... You may!

DE GUICHE [showing several folded papers] [showing several folded papers] I have here upon me the orders to be transmitted at once to each of the companies... except... I have here upon me the orders to be transmitted at once to each of the companies... except... [he takes one from among the others.] [he takes one from among the others.] This one! ... the company of the cadets... This one! ... the company of the cadets... [He puts it in his pocket.] [He puts it in his pocket.] This, I will keep. This, I will keep. [Laughing] [Laughing] Ah, ah, ah! Cyrano! his belligerent humor! ... So you sometimes play tricks upon people, you? ... Ah, ah, ah! Cyrano! his belligerent humor! ... So you sometimes play tricks upon people, you? ...

ROXANE Sometimes.

DE GUICHE [very near her] I love you to distraction! This evening... listen, ... it is true that I must be gone. But to go when I feel that it is a matter for your caring! Listen! ... There is, not far from here, in Rue Orleans, a convent founded by the Capuchins. Father Athanasius. A layman may not enter. But the good fathers... I fear no difficulty with them! They will hide me up their sleeve... their sleeve is wide. They are the Capuchins that serve Richelieu at home. Fearing the uncle, they proportionately fear the nephew. I shall be thought to have left. I will come to you masked. Let me delay by a single day, wayward enchantress! I love you to distraction! This evening... listen, ... it is true that I must be gone. But to go when I feel that it is a matter for your caring! Listen! ... There is, not far from here, in Rue Orleans, a convent founded by the Capuchins. Father Athanasius. A layman may not enter. But the good fathers... I fear no difficulty with them! They will hide me up their sleeve... their sleeve is wide. They are the Capuchins that serve Richelieu at home. Fearing the uncle, they proportionately fear the nephew. I shall be thought to have left. I will come to you masked. Let me delay by a single day, wayward enchantress!

ROXANE But if it should transpire... your fame...

DE GUICHE Bah!

ROXANE But... the siege... Arras! ...

DE GUICHE Must wait! Allow me, I beg...

ROXANE No!

DE GUICHE I beseech!

ROXANE [tenderly] [tenderly] No! Love itself bids me forbid you! No! Love itself bids me forbid you!

DE GUICHE Ah!

ROXANE You must go! [Aside.] Christian will stay! [Aloud.] [Aloud.] For my sake, be heroic ... Antony! For my sake, be heroic ... Antony!52 DE GUICHE Ah, heavenly word upon your lips! ... Then you love the one who...

ROXANE Who shall have made me tremble for his sake...

DE GUICHE [in a transport of joy] Ah, I will go! [He kisses her hand.] Are you satisfied with me?

ROXANE My friend, I am.

[Exit DE GUICHE]

THE DUENNA [dropping a mocking curtsey toward his back] [dropping a mocking curtsey toward his back] My friend, we are! My friend, we are!

SCENE III.

Roxane, the Duenna, Cyrano Duenna, Cyrano