Act 2 Cyrano de Bergerac

The Bakery of the Poets

The Shop of RAGUENEAU, BAKER and PASTRYCOOK: a spacious affair at the corner of the Rue St.-Honoré and the Rue de l’Arbre Sec. The street, seen vaguely through the glass panes in the door at the back, is gray in the first light of dawn.

In the foreground, at the Left, a Counter is surmounted by a Canopy of wrought iron from which are hanging ducks, geese, and white peacocks. Great crockery jars hold bouquets of common flowers, yellow sunflowers in particular. On the same side farther back, a huge fireplace; in front of it, between great andirons,¹ of which each one supports a little saucepan, roast fowls revolve and weep into their dripping-pans. To the Right at the First Entrance, a door. Beyond it, Second Entrance, a staircase leads up to a little dining-room under the caves, its interior visible through open shutters. A table is set there and a tiny Flemish candlestick is lighted; there one may retire to eat and drink in private. A wooden gallery, extending from the head of the stairway, seems to lead to other little dining-rooms.

In the centre of the shop, an iron ring hangs by a rope over a pulley so that it can be raised or lowered; adorned with game of various kinds hung from it by hooks, it has the appearance of a sort of gastronomic chandelier.

In the shadow under the staircase, ovens are glowing. The spits revolve; the copper pots and pans gleam ruddily. Pastries in pyramids. Hams hanging from the rafters. The morning baking is in progress: a bustle of tall cooks and timid scullions² and scurrying apprentices; a blossoming of white caps adorned with cock’s feathers or the wings of guinea fowl. On wicker trays or on great metal platters they bring in rows of pastries and fancy dishes of various kinds.

Tables are covered with trays of cakes and rolls; others with chairs placed about them are set for guests.

One little table in a corner disappears under a heap of papers. At the curtain rise RAGUENEAU is seated there. He is writing poetry.

A PASTRYCOOK (Brings in a dish.)

Fruits en gelee!

SECOND PASTRYCOOK (Brings dish.)

Custard!

THIRD PASTRYCOOK (Brings roast peacock ornamented with feathers.)

Peacock roti!

FOURTH PASTRYCOOK (Brings tray of cakes.)

Cakes and confections!

FIFTH PASTRYCOOK (Brings earthen dish.)

Beef en casserole!

692

RAGUENEAU (Raises his head; returns to mere earth.)

Over the coppers of my kitchen flows

The frosted-silver dawn. Silence awhile

5 The god who sings within thee, Ragueneau!

Lay down the lute — the oven calls for thee!

(Rises; goes to one of the cooks.)

Here’s a hiatus in your sauce; fill up

The measure.

THE COOK How much?

RAGUENEAU (Measures on his finger.)

One more dactyl.

THE COOK Huh? . . .

FIRST PASTRYCOOK Rolls!

SECOND PASTRYCOOK Roulades!

RAGUENEAU (before the fireplace)

Veil, O Muse, thy virgin eyes

10 From the lewd gleam of these terrestrial fires!

(to First Pastrycook)

Your rolls lack balance. Here’s the proper form —

An equal hemistich³ on either side,

And the caesura⁴ in between.

(to another, pointing out an unfinished pie)

Your house

Of crust should have a roof upon it.

(to another, who is seated on the hearth, placing poultry on a spit)

And you —

15 Along the interminable spit, arrange

The modest pullet and the lordly Turk

Alternately, my son — as great Malherbe⁵

Alternates male and female rimes. Remember,

A couplet, or a roast, should be well turned.

AN APPRENTICE (Advances with a dish covered by a napkin.)

20 Master, I thought of you when I designed

This, hoping it might please you.

RAGUENEAU Ah! A Lyre —

THE APPRENTICE In puff-paste —

RAGUENEAU And the jewels —candied fruit!

THE APPRENTICE And the strings, barley-sugar!

RAGUENEAU (Gives him money.)

Go and drink

My health.

(LISE enters.)

St! — My wife — Circulate, and hide

25 That money!

(Shows the lyre to LISE, with a languid air.)

Graceful — yes?

LISE Ridiculous!

(She places on the counter a pile of paper bags.)

RAGUENEAU Paper bags? Thank you . . .

(He looks at them.)

Ciel!⁶ My manuscripts!

The sacred verses of my poets — rent

Asunder, limb from limb — butchered to make

Base packages of pastry! Ah, you are one

30 Of those insane Bacchantes who destroyed

Orpheus!⁷

LISE Your dirty poets left them here

To pay for eating half our stock-in-trade:

We ought to make some profit out of them!

RAGUENEAU Ant! Would you blame the locust for his song?

35 LISE I blame the locust for his appetite!

There used to be a time — before you had

Your hungry friends — you never called me Ants —

No, nor Bacchantes!

RAGUENEAU What a way to use

Poetry!

LISE Well, what is the use of it?

40 RAGUENEAU But, my dear girl, what would you do with prose?

(Two Children enter.)

Well, dears?

A CHILD Three little patties.

RAGUENEAU (Serves them.)

There we are!

All hot and brown.

693

THE CHILD Would you mind wrapping them?

RAGUENEAU One of my paper bags! . . .

Oh, certainly.

(Reads from the bag, as he is about to wrap the patties in it.)

“Ulysses, when he left Penelope” —

45 Not that one!

(Takes another bag; reads.)

“Phoebus, golden-crowned” —

Not that one.

LISE Well? They are waiting!

RAGUENEAU Very well, very well! —

The Sonnet to Phyllis . . .

Yet — it does seem hard . . .

LISE Made up your mind — at last! Mph! — Jack-o’-Dreams!

RAGUENEAU (As her back is turned, calls back the children, who are already at the door.)

Pst! — Children — Give me back the bag. Instead

50 Of three patties, you shall have six of them!

(Makes the exchange. The Children go out. He reads from the bag, as he smooths it out tenderly.)

“Phyllis” —

A spot of butter on her name! —

“Phyllis” —

CYRANO (Enters hurriedly.)

What is the time?

RAGUENEAU Six o’Clock.

CYRANO One

Hour more . . .

RAGUENEAU Felicitations!

CYRANO And for what?

RAGUENEAU Your victory! I saw it all —

CYRANO Which one?

55 RAGUENEAU At the Hôtel de Bourgogne.

CYRANO Oh — the duel!

RAGUENEAU The duel in Rime!

LISE He talks of nothing else.

CYRANO Nonsense!

RAGUENEAU (Fencing and foining with a spit, which he snatches up from the hearth.)

“Then, as I end the refrain, thrust home!”

“Then, as I end the refrain” —

Gods! What a line!

“Then, as I end” —

CYRANO What time now, Ragueneau?

RAGUENEAU (Petrified at the full extent of a lunge, while he looks at the clock.)

60 Five after six —

(recovers)

“—thrust home!”

A Ballade, too!

694

LISE (to CYRANO, who in passing has mechanically shaken hands with her)

Your hand — what have you done?

CYRANO Oh, my hand? — Nothing.

RAGUENEAU What danger now —

CYRANO No danger.

LISE I believe

He is lying.

CYRANO Why? Was I looking down my nose?

That must have been a devil of a lie!

(changing his tone; to RAGUENEAU)

65 I expect someone. Leave us here alone,

When the time comes.

RAGUENEAU How can I? In a moment,

My poets will be here.

LISE To break their . . . fast!

CYRANO Take them away, then, when I give the sign.

—What time?

RAGUENEAU Ten minutes after.

CYRANO Have you a pen?

RAGUENEAU (Offers him a pen.)

70 An eagle’s feather!

A MUSKETEER (Enters, and speaks to LISE in a stentorian voice.)

Greeting!

CYRANO (To RAGUENEAU)

Who is this?

RAGUENEAU My wife’s friend. A terrific warrior,

So he says.

CYRANO Ah — I see.

(Takes up the pen; waves RAGUENEAU away.)

Only to write —

To fold — To give it to her — and to go . . .

(Throws down the pen.)

Coward! And yet — the Devil take my soul

75 If I dare speak one word to her . . .

(To RAGUENEAU)

What time now?

RAGUENEAU A quarter after six.

CYRANO (striking his breast)

— One little word

Of all the many thousand I have here!

Whereas in writing . . .

(Takes up the pen.)

Come, I’ll write to her

That letter I have written on my heart,

80 Torn up, and written over many times —

So many times . . . that all I have to do

Is to remember, and to write it down.

(He writes. Through the glass of the door appear vague and hesitating shadows. The Poets enter, clothed in rusty black and spotted with mud.)

LISE (to RAGUENEAU)

Here come your scarecrows!

FIRST POET Comrade!

SECOND POET (Takes both RAGUENEAU’S hands.)

My dear brother!

THIRD POET (sniffing)

O Lord of Roasts, how sweet thy dwellings are!

85 FOURTH POET Phoebus Apollo of the Silver Spoon!

FIFTH POET Cupid of Cookery!

RAGUENEAU (Surrounded, embraced, beaten on the back.)

These geniuses,

They put one at one’s ease!

FIRST POET We were delayed

By the crowd at the Porte de Nesle.

SECOND POET Dead men

All scarred and gory, scattered on the stones,

90 Villainous-looking scoundrels — eight of them.

CYRANO (Looks up an instant.)

Eight? I thought only seven —

RAGUENEAU Do you know

The hero of this hecatomb?⁸

CYRANO I? . . . No.

LISE (to The Musketeer)

Do you?

THE MUSKETEER Hmm — perhaps!

FIRST POET They say one man alone

Put to flight all this crowd.

SECOND POET Everywhere lay

95 Swords, daggers, pikes, bludgeons —

695

CYRANO (writing)

“Your eyes . . .”

THIRD POET As far

As the Quai des Orfevres,⁹ hats and cloaks —

FIRST POET Why, that man must have been the devil!

CYRANO “Your lips . . .”

FIRST POET Some savage monster might have done this thing!

CYRANO “Looking upon you, I grow faint with fear . . .”

100 SECOND POET What have you written lately, Ragueneau?

CYRANO “Your Friends —“Who loves you . . .”

So. No signature;

I’ll give it to her myself.

RAGUENEAU A Recipe

In Rime.

THIRD POET Read us your rimes!

FOURTH POET Here’s a brioche

Cocking its hat at me.

(He bites off the top of it.)

FIRST POET Look how those buns

Follow the hungry poet with their eyes —

105 Those almond eyes!

SECOND POET We are listening —

THIRD POET See this cream-puff-

Fat little baby, drooling while it smiles!

SECOND POET (Nibbling at the pastry Lyre.)

For the first time, the Lyre is my support.

RAGUENEAU (Coughs, adjusts his cap, strikes an attitude.)

A Recipe in Rime —

SECOND POET (Gives FIRST POET a dig with his elbow.)

Your breakfast?

FIRST POET Dinner!

RAGUENEAU (declaims)

A Recipe for Making Almond Tarts.

110 Beat your eggs, the yolk and white,Very light;

Mingle with their creamy fluff

Drops of lime-juice, cool and green;

Then pour in

115 Milk of Almonds, just enough.

Dainty patty-pans, embraced

In puff-paste —

Have these ready within reach;

With your thumb and finger, pinch

120 Half an inch

Up around the edge of each —

Into these, a score or more,

Slowly pour

All your store of custard; so

125 Take them, bake them golden-brown —

Now sit down! . . .

Almond tartlets, Ragueneau!

THE POETS Delicious! Melting!

A POET (chokes)

Humph!

CYRANO (to RAGUENEAU)

Do you not see

Those fellows fattening themselves? —

RAGUENEAU I know.

130 I would not look — it might embarrass them —

You see, I love a friendly audience.

Besides — another vanity — I am pleased

When they enjoy my cooking.

CYRANO (Slaps him on the back.)

Be off with you! —

(RAGUENEAU goes upstage.)

Good little soul!

(Calls to LISE.)

Madame! —

(She leaves the Musketeer and comes down to him.)

This musketeer —

135 He is making love to you?

LISE (haughtily)

If any man

Offends my virtue — all I have to do

Is look at him — once!

CYRANO (Looks at her gravely; she drops her eyes.)

I do not find

Those eyes of yours unconquerable.

696

LISE (panting)

— Ah!

CYRANO (Raising his voice a little.)

Now listen — I am fond of Ragueneau;

140 I allow no one — do you understand? —

To . . . take his name in vain!

LISE You think —

CYRANO (ironic emphasis)

I think

I interrupt you.

(He salutes the Musketeer, who has heard without daring to resent the warning. LISE goes to the Musketeer as he returns CYRANO’S salute.)

LISE You — you swallow that? —

You ought to have pulled his nose!

THE MUSKETEER His nose? — His nose! . . .

(He goes out hurriedly. ROXANE and the Duenna appear outside the door.)

CYRANO (Nods to RAGUENEAU.)

Pst! —

RAGUENEAU (to the Poets)

Come inside —

CYRANO (impatient)

Pst! . . . Pst! . . .

RAGUENEAU We shall be more

145 Comfortable . . .

(He leads The Poets into inner room.)

FIRST POET The cakes!

SECOND POET Bring them along!

(They go out.)

CYRANO If I can see the faintest spark of hope,

Then —

(Throws door open — bows.)

Welcome!

(ROXANE enters, followed by the Duenna, whom CYRANO detains.)

Pardon me — one word —

THE DUENNA Take two.

CYRANO Have you a good digestion?

THE DUENNA Wonderful!

CYRANO Good. Here are two sonnets, by Benserade —

150 THE DUENNA Euh?

CYRANO Which I fill for you with éclairs.

THE DUENNA Ooo!

CYRANO Do you like cream-puffs?

THE DUENNA Only with whipped cream.

CYRANO Here are three . . . six — embosomed in a poem

By Saint-Amant. This ode of Chapelin

Looks deep enough to hold — a jelly roll.

155 — Do you love Nature?

THE DUENNA Mad about it.

CYRANO Then

Go out and eat these in the street. Do not

Return —

THE DUENNA Oh, but —

CYRANO Until you finish them.

(down to ROXANE)

Blessed above all others be the hour

When you remembered to remember me,

160 And came to tell me . . . what?

ROXANE (Takes off her mask.)

First let me thank you

Because . . . That man . . . that creature, whom your sword

Made sport of yesterday — His patron, one —

CYRANO De Guiche? —

ROXANE — who thinks himself in love with me

Would have forced that man upon me for —

a husband —

165 CYRANO I understand — so much the better then!

I fought, not for my nose, but your bright eyes.

ROXANE And then, to tell you — but before I can

Tell you — Are you, I wonder, still the same

Big brother — almost — that you used to be

170 When we were children, playing by the pond

In the old garden down there —

CYRANO I remember —

Every summer you came to Bergerac! . . .

ROXANE You used to make swords out of bulrushes —

CYRANO Your dandelion-dolls with golden hair —

175 ROXANE And those green plums —

CYRANO And those black mulberries —

ROXANE In those days, you did everything I wished!

CYRANO Roxane, in short skirts, was called Madeleine.

ROXANE Was I pretty?

CYRANO Oh — not too plain!

697

ROXANE Sometimes

When you had hurt your hand you used to come

180 Running to me — and I would be your mother,

And say — Oh, in a very grown-up voice:

(She takes his hand.)

“Now, what have you been doing to yourself?

Let me see—”

(She sees the hand — starts.)

Oh! —

Wait — I said Let me see!

Still — at your age! How did you do that?

CYRANO Playing

185 With the big boys, down by the Porte de Nesle.

ROXANE (Sits at a table and wets her handkerchief in a glass of water.)

Come here to me.

CYRANO —Such a wise little mother!

ROXANE And tell me, while I wash this blood away,

How many you — played with?

CYRANO Oh, about a hundred.

ROXANE Tell me.

CYRANO No. Let me go. Tell me what you

190 Were going to tell me — if you dared?

ROXANE (still holding his hand)

I think

I do dare — now. It seems like long ago

When I could tell you things. Yes — I dare . . . Listen:

I . . . love someone.

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE Someone who does not know.

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE At least — not yet.

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE But he will know

195 Some day.

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE A big boy who loves me too,

And is afraid of me, and keeps away,

And never says one word.

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE Let me have

Your hand a moment — why how hot it is! —

I know. I see him trying . . .

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE There now!

200 Is that better? —

(She finishes bandaging the hand with her handkerchief.)

Besides — only to think —

(This is a secret.) He is a soldier too,

In your own regiment —

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE Yes, in the Guards,

Your company too.

698

CYRANO Ah! . . .

ROXANE And such a man! —

He is proud — noble — young — brave—beautiful —

CYRANO (Turns pale; rises.)

205 Beautiful! —

ROXANE What’s the matter?

CYRANO (smiling)

Nothing — this —

My sore hand!

ROXANE Well, I love him. That is all.

Oh — and I never saw him anywhere

Except the Comedie.

CYRANO You have never spoken? —

ROXANE Only our eyes . . .

CYRANO Why, then — How do you know? —

210 ROXANE People talk about people; and I hear

Things . . . and I know.

CYRANO You say he is in the Guards:

His name?

ROXANE Baron Christian de Neuvillette.

CYRANO He is not in the Guards.

ROXANE Yes. Since this morning.

Captain Carbon de Castel-Jaloux.

CYRANO So soon!

So soon we lose our hearts! —

But, my dear child, —

THE DUENNA (Opens the door.)

215 I have eaten the cakes, Monsieur de Bergerac!

CYRANO Good! Now go out and read the poetry!

(The Duenna disappears.)

— But, my dear child! You, who love only words,

Wit, the grand manner — Why, for all you know,

The man may be a savage, or a fool.

220 ROXANE His curls are like a hero from D’Urfé.

CYRANO His mind may be as curly as his hair.

ROXANE Not with such eyes. I read his soul in them.

CYRANO Yes, all our souls are written in our eyes!

But — if he be a bungler?

ROXANE Then I shall die —

225 There!

CYRANO (after a pause)

And you brought me here to tell me this?

I do not yet quite understand, Madame,

The reason for your confidence.

ROXANE They say

That in your company — It frightens me —

You are all Gascons . . .

CYRANO And we pick a quarrel

230 With any flat-foot who intrudes himself.

Whose blood is not pure Gascon like our own?

Is this what you have heard?

ROXANE I am so afraid

For him!

CYRANO (between his teeth)

Not without reason! —

ROXANE And I thought

You . . . You were so brave, so invincible

235 Yesterday, against all those brutes! — If you,

Whom they all fear —

CYRANO Oh well — I will defend

Your little Baron.

ROXANE Will you? Just for me?

Because I have always been — your friend!

CYRANO Of course . . .

ROXANE Will you be his friend?

CYRANO I will be his friend.

240 ROXANE And never let him fight a duel?

CYRANO No — never.

ROXANE Oh, but you are a darling! — I must go —

You never told me about last night — Why,

You must have been a hero! Have him write

And tell me all about it — will you?

CYRANO Of course . . .

(Kisses her hand.)

245 ROXANE I always did love you! — A hundred men

Against one — Well. . . . Adieu. We are great friends,

Are we not?

CYRANO Of course . . .

ROXANE He must write to me —

A hundred — You shall tell me the whole story

Some day, when I have time. A hundred men —

250 What courage!

CYRANO (Salutes as she goes out.)

Oh . . . I have done better since!

(The door closes after her. CYRANO remains motionless, his eyes on the ground. Pause. The other door opens; RAGUENEAU puts in his head.)

699

RAGUENEAU May I come in?

CYRANO (without moving)

Yes . . .

(RAGUENEAU and his friends re-enter. At the same time, CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX appears at the street door in uniform as Captain of the Guards; recognizes CYRANO with a sweeping gesture.)

CARBON Here he is! — Our hero!

CYRANO (Raises his head and salutes.)

Our Captain!

CARBON We know! All our company

Are here —

CYRANO (recoils)

No—

CARBON Come! They are waiting for you.

CYRANO No!

CARBON (Tries to lead him out.)

Only across the street — Come!

CYRANO Please —

CARBON (Goes to the door and shouts in a voice of thunder.)

Our champion

255 Refuses! He is not feeling well to-day!

A VOICE OUTSIDE Ah! Sandious!

(Noise outside of swords and trampling feet approaching.)

CARBON Here they come now!

THE CADETS (entering the shop)

Mille dious! —

Mordious! — Capdedious! — Pocapdedious!

RAGUENEAU (in astonishment)

Gentlemen —

You are all Gascons?

THE CADETS All!

FIRST CADET (to CYRANO)

Bravo!

CYRANO Baron!

ANOTHER CADET (Takes both his hands.)

Vivat!

CYRANO Baron!

THIRD CADET Come to my arms!

CYRANO Baron!

260 OTHERS To mine! — To mine! —

CYRANO Baron . . . Baron . . . Have mercy —

RAGUENEAU You are all Barons too?

THE CADETS Are we?

RAGUENEAU Are they? . . .

FIRST CADET Our coronets would star the midnight sky!

LE BRET (Enters; hurries to CYRANO.)

The whole Town’s looking for you! Raving mad —

A triumph! Those who saw the fight —

CYRANO I hope

265 You have not told them where I —

LE BRET (rubbing his hands)

Certainly

I told them!

CITIZEN (Enters, followed by a group.)

Listen! Shut the door! — Here comes

All Paris!

(The street outside fills with a shouting crowd. Chairs and carriages stop at the door.)

LE BRET (aside to CYRANO, smiling)

And Roxane?

CYRANO (quickly)

Hush!

THE CROWD OUTSIDE Cyrano!

(A mob bursts into the shop. Shouts, acclamations, general disturbance.)

RAGUENEAU (Standing on a table.)

My shop invaded — They’ll break everything —

Glorious!

SEVERAL MEN (crowding about CYRANO)

My friend! . . . My friend! . . .

CYRANO Why, yesterday

270 I did not have so many friends!

LE BRET Success

At last!

A MARQUIS (runs to CYRANO,with outstretched hands)

My dear — really! —

CYRANO (coldly)

So? And how long

Have I been dear to you?

ANOTHER MARQUIS One moment — pray!

I have two ladies in my carriage here;

Let me present you —

CYRANO Certainly! And first,

275 Who will present you, sir, — to me?

700

LE BRET (astounded)

Why, what

The devil? —

CYRANO Hush!

A MAN OF LETTERS (with a portfolio)

May I have the details? . . .

CYRANO You may not.

LE BRET (plucking CYRANO’S sleeve)

Theophraste Renaudot! — Editor

Of the Gazette — your reputation! . . .

CYRANO No!

A POET (advances)

Monsieur —

CYRANO Well?

THE POET Your full name? I will compose

280 A pentacrostic¹⁰ —

ANOTHER Monsieur —

CYRANO That will do!

(Movement. The crowd arranges itself. DE GUICHE appears, escorted by CUIGY, BRIS-SAILLE, and the other officers who were with CYRANO at the close of the First Act.)

CUIGY (Goes to CYRANO.)

Monsieur de Guiche! —

(Murmur. Everyone moves.)

A message from the Marshal

De Gassion —

DE GUICHE (saluting CYRANO)

Who wishes to express

Through me his admiration. He has heard

Of your affair —

THE CROWD Bravo!

CYRANO (bowing)

The Marshal speaks

285 As an authority.

DE GUICHE He said just now

The story would have been incredible

Were it not for the witness —

CUIGY Of our eyes!

LE BRET (aside to CYRANO)

What is it?

CYRANO Hush! —

LE BRET Something is wrong with you;

Are you in pain?

CYRANO (recovering himself)

In pain? Before this crowd?

(His moustache bristles. He throws out his chest.)

290 I? In pain? You shall see!

DE GUICHE (To whom CUIGY has been whispering.)

Your name is known

Already as a soldier. You are one

Of those wild Gascons, are you not?

CYRANO The Guards,

Yes. A Cadet.

A CADET (in a voice of thunder)

One of ourselves!

DE GUICHE Ah! So —

Then all these gentlemen with the haughty air,

295 These are the famous —

CARBON Cyrano!

CYRANO Captain?

CARBON Our troop being all present, be so kind

As to present them to the Comte de Guiche!

CYRANO (with a gesture presenting the Cadets to DE GUICHE, declaims:)

The Cadets of Gascoyne — the defenders

Of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux:

300 Free fighters, free lovers, free spenders —

The Cadets of Gascoyne — the defenders

Of old homes, old names, and old splendors —

A proud and a pestilent crew!

The Cadets of Gascoyne, the defenders

305 Of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux.

Hawk-eyed, they stare down all contenders —

The wolf bares his fangs as they do —

Make way there, you fat money-lenders!

310 (Hawk-eyed, they stare down all contenders)

Old boots that have been to the menders,

Old cloaks that are worn through and through —

Hawk-eyed, they stare down all contenders —

The wolf bares his fangs as they do!

315 Skull-breakers they are, and sword-benders;

701

Red blood is their favorite brew;

Hot haters and loyal befrienders,

Skull-breakers they are, and sword-benders.

Wherever a quarrel engenders,

320 They’re ready and waiting for you!

Skull-breakers they are, and sword-benders;

Red blood is their favorite brew!

Behold them, our Gascon defenders

Who win every woman they woo!

325 There’s never a dame but surrenders —

Behold them, our Gascon defenders!

Young wives who are clever pretenders —

Old husbands who house the cuckoo —

Behold them — our Gascon defenders

330 Who win every woman they woo!

DE GUICHE (languidly, sitting in a chair)

Poets are fashionable nowadays

To have about one. Would you care to join

My following?

CYRANO No sir. I do not follow.

DE GUICHE Your duel yesterday amused my uncle

335 The Cardinal. I might help you there.

LE BRET Grand Dieu!

DE GUICHE I suppose you have written a tragedy —

They all have.

LE BRET (aside to CYRANO)

Now at last you’ll have it played —

Your Agrippine!

DE GUICHE Why not? Take it to him.

CYRANO (tempted)

Really —

DE GUICHE He is himself a dramatist;

340 Let him rewrite a few lines here and there,

And he’ll approve the rest.

CYRANO (His face falls again.)

Impossible.

My blood curdles to think of altering

One comma.

DE GUICHE Ah, but when he likes a thing

He pays well.

CYRANO Yes — but not so well as I —

345 When I have made a line that sings itself

So that I love the sound of it — I pay

Myself a hundred times.

DE GUICHE You are proud, my friend.

CYRANO You have observed that?

A CADET (Enters with a drawn sword, along the whole blade of which is transfixed a collection of disreputable hats, their plumes draggled, their crowns cut and torn.)

Cyrano! See here —

Look what we found this morning in the street —

350 The plumes dropped in their flight by those fine birds

Who showed the white feather!

CARBON Spoils of the hunt —

Well mounted!

THE CROWD Ha-ha-ha!

CUIGY Whoever hired

Those rascals, he must be an angry man

To-day!

BRISSAILLE Who was it? Do you know?

DE GUICHE Myself! —

(The laughter ceases.)

355 I hired them to do the sort of work

We do not soil our hands with — punishing

A drunken poet. . . .

(uncomfortable silence)

THE CADET (to CYRANO)

What shall we do with them?

They ought to be preserved before they spoil —

CYRANO (Takes the sword, and in the gesture of saluting DE GUICHE with it, makes all the hats slide off at his feet.)

Sir, will you not return these to your friends?

360 DE GUICHE My chair — my porters here — immediately!

(to CYRANO violently)

— As for you, sir! —

A VOICE (in the street)

The chair of Monseigneur

Le Comte de Guiche! —

DE GUICHE (who has recovered his self-control; smiling)

Have you read Don Quixote?

CYRANO I have — and found myself the hero.

702

A PORTER (Appears at the door.)

Chair

Ready!

DE GUICHE Be so good as to read once more

365 The chapter of the windmills.

CYRANO (gravely)

Chapter Thirteen.

DE GUICHE Windmills, remember, if you fight with them —

CYRANO My enemies change, then, with every wind?

DE GUICHE — May swing round their huge arms and cast you down

Into the mire.

CYRANO Or up — among the stars!

(DE GUICHE goes out. We see him get into the chair. The Officers follow murmuring among themselves. LE BRET goes up with them. The crowd goes out.)

CYRANO (Saluting with burlesque politeness, those who go out without daring to take leave of him.)

370 Gentlemen. . . . Gentlemen. . . .

LE BRET (As the door closes, comes down, shaking his clenched hands to heaven.)

You have done it now —

You have made your fortune!

CYRANO There you go again,

Growling! —

LE BRET At least this latest pose of yours —

Ruining every chance that comes your way —

Becomes exaggerated —

CYRANO Very well,

375 Then I exaggerate!

LE BRET (triumphantly)

Oh, you do!

CYRANO Yes;

On principle. There are things in this world

A man does well to carry to extremes.

LE BRET Stop trying to be Three Musketeers in one!

Fortune and glory —

CYRANO What would you have me do?

380 Seek for the patronage of some great man,

And like a creeping vine on a tall tree

Crawl upward, where I cannot stand alone?

No thank you! Dedicate, as others do,

Poems to pawnbrokers? Be a buffoon

385 In the vile hope of teasing out a smile

On some cold face? No thank you! Eat a toad

For breakfast every morning? Make my knees

Callous, and cultivate a supple spine, —

Wear out my belly grovelling in the dust?

390 No thank you! Scratch the back of any swine

That roots up gold for me? Tickle the horns

Of Mammon¹¹ with my left hand, while my right

Too proud to know his partner’s business,

Takes in the fee? No thank you! Use the fire

395 God gave me to burn incense all day long

Under the nose of wood and stone? No thank you!

Shall I go leaping into ladies’ laps

And licking fingers? — or — to change the form —

Navigating with madrigals for oars,

400 My sails full of the sighs of dowagers?

No thank you! Publish verses at my own

Expense? No thank you! Be the patron saint

Of a small group of literary souls

Who dine together every Tuesday? No

405 I thank you! Shall I labor night and day

To build a reputation on one song,

And never write another? Shall I find

True genius only among Geniuses,

Palpitate over little paragraphs,

410 And struggle to insinuate my name

Into the columns of the Mercury?

No thank you! Calculate, scheme, be afraid,

Love more to make a visit than a poem,

Seek introductions, favors, influences? —

415 No thank you! No, I thank you! And again

I thank you! — But . . .

To sing, to laugh, to dream,

To walk in my own way and be alone,

Free, with an eye to see things as they are,

A voice that means manhood — to cock my hat

420 Where I choose — At a word, a Yes, a No,

To fight — or write. To travel any road

703

Under the sun, under the stars, nor doubt

If fame or fortune lie beyond the bourne —

Never to make a line I have not heard

425 In my own heart; yet, with all modesty

To say: “My soul, be satisfied with flowers,

With fruit, with weeds even; but gather them

In the one garden you may call your own.”

So, when I win some triumph, by some chance,

430 Render no share to Caesar — in a word,

I am too proud to be a parasite,

And if my nature wants the germ that grows

Towering to heaven like the mountain pine,

Or like the oak, sheltering multitudes —

435 I stand, not high it may be — but alone!

LE BRET Alone, yes! — But why stand against the world?

What devil has possessed you now, to go

Everywhere making yourself enemies?

CYRANO Watching you other people making friends

440 Everywhere — as a dog makes friends! I mark

The manner of these canine courtesies

And think: “My friends are of a cleaner breed;

Here comes — thank God! — another enemy!”

LE BRET But this is madness!

CYRANO Method, let us say.

445 It is my pleasure to displease. I love

Hatred. Imagine how it feels to face

The volley of a thousand angry eyes —

The bile of envy and the froth of fear

Spattering little drops about me — You —

450 Good nature all around you, soft and warm —

You are like those Italians, in great cowls

Comfortable and loose — Your chin sinks down

Into the folds, your shoulders droop. But I —

The Spanish ruff I wear around my throat

455 Is like a ring of enemies; hard, proud,

Each point another pride, another thorn —

So that I hold myself erect perforce.

Wearing the hatred of the common herd

Haughtily, the harsh collar of Old Spain,

460 At once a fetter and — a halo!

LE BRET Yes . . .

(After a silence, draws CYRANO’S arm through his own.)

Tell this to all the world — And then to me

Say very softly that . . . She loves you not.

CYRANO (quickly)

Hush!

(A moment since, CHRISTIAN has entered and mingled with the Cadets, who do not offer to speak to him. Finally, he sits down alone at a small table, where he is served by LISE.)

A CADET (Rises from a table up stage, his glass in his hand.)

Cyrano! — Your story!

CYRANO Presently . . .

(He goes up, on the arm of LE BRET, talking to him. The Cadets come down stage.)

THE CADET The story of the combat! An example

465 For —

(He stops by the table where CHRISTIAN is sitting.)

— this young tadpole here.

CHRISTIAN (looks up)

Tadpole?

ANOTHER CADET Yes, you! —

You narrow-gutted Northerner!

CHRISTIAN Sir?

FIRST CADET Hark ye,

Monsieur de Neuvillette: You are to know

There is a certain subject — I would say,

A certain object — never to be named

470 Among us: utterly unmentionable!

CHRISTIAN And that is?

THIRD CADET (in an awful voice)

Look at me! . . .

(He strikes his nose three times with his finger, mysteriously.)

You understand?

CHRISTIAN Why, yes; the —

FOURTH CADET Sh! . . . We never speak that word —

(indicating CYRANO by a gesture)

To breathe it is to have to do with HIM!

FIFTH CADET (Speaks through his nose.)

He has exterminated several

475 Whose tone of voice suggested . . .

SIXTH CADET (In a hollow tone; rising from under the table on all fours.)

Would you die

Before your time? Just mention anything

Convex . . . or cartilaginous . . .

704

SEVENTH CADET (his hand on CHRISTIAN’S shoulder)

One word —

One syllable — one gesture — nay, one sneeze —

Your handkerchief becomes your winding-sheet!

(Silence. In a circle around CHRISTIAN, arms crossed, they regard him expectantly.)

CHRISTIAN (Rises and goes to CARBON, who is conversing with an officer, and pretending not to see what is taking place.)

480 Captain!

CARBON (Turns, and looks him over.)

Sir?

CHRISTIAN What is the proper thing to do

When Gascons grow too boastful?

CARBON Prove to them

That one may be a Norman, and have courage.

(Turns his back.)

CHRISTIAN I thank you.

FIRST CADET (to CYRANO)

Come — the story!

ALL The story!

CYRANO (Comes down.)

Oh,

My story? Well . . .

(They all draw up their stools and group themselves around him, eagerly. CHRISTIAN places himself astride of a chair, his arms on the back of it.)

I marched on, all alone

485 To meet those devils. Overhead, the moon

Hung like a gold watch at the fob of heaven,

Till suddenly some Angel rubbed a cloud,

As it might be his handkerchief, across

The shining crystal, and — the night came down.

490 No lamps in those back streets — It was so dark —

Mordious! You could not see beyond —

CHRISTIAN Your nose.

(Silence. Every man slowly rises to his feet. They look at CYRANO almost with terror. He has stopped short, utterly astonished. Pause.)

CYRANO Who is that man there?

A CADET (in a low voice)

A recruit — arrived

This morning.

CYRANO (Takes a step toward CHRISTIAN.)

A recruit —

CARBON (in a low voice)

His name is Christian

De Neuvil —

CYRANO (suddenly motionless)

Oh . . .

(He turns pale, flushes, makes a movement as if to throw himself upon CHRISTIAN.)

I —

(Controls himself, and goes on in a choking voice.)

I see. Very well,

495 As I was saying —

(with a sudden burst of rage)

Mordious! . . .

(He goes on in a natural tone.)

It grew dark,

You could not see your hand before your eyes.

I marched on, thinking how, all for the sake

Of one old souse

(They slowly sit down, watching him.)

who wrote a bawdy song

Whenever he took —

CHRISTIAN A noseful —

(Everyone rises. CHRISTIAN balances himself on two legs of his chair.)

CYRANO (half strangled)

— Took a notion . . .

500 Whenever he took a notion — For his sake,

I might antagonize some dangerous man,

One powerful enough to make me pay —

CHRISTIAN Through the nose —

CYRANO (Wipes the sweat from his forehead.)

— Pay the Piper. After all,

I thought, why am I putting in my —

CHRISTIAN Nose —

505 CYRANO — My oar . . . Why am I putting in my oar?

The quarrel’s none of mine. However — now

I am here, I may as well go through with it.

Come Gascon — do your duty! — Suddenly

A sword flashed in the dark. I caught it fair —

510 CHRISTIAN On the nose —

705

CYRANO On my blade. Before I knew it,

There I was —

CHRISTIAN Rubbing noses —

CYRANO (pale and smiling)

Crossing swords

With half a score at once. I handed one —

CHRISTIAN A nosegay —

CYRANO (leaping at him)

Ventre-Saint-Gris!¹² . . .

(The Gascons tumble over each other to get a good view. Arrived in front of CHRISTIAN, who has not moved an inch, CYRANO masters himself again, and continues.)

He went down;

The rest gave way; I charged —

CHRISTIAN Nose in the air —

515 CYRANO I skewered two of them — disarmed a third —

Another lunged — Paf! And I countered —

CHRISTIAN Pif!

CYRANO (bellowing)

Tonnerre! Out of here! — All of you!

(All the Cadets rush for the door.)

FIRST CADET At last —

The old lion wakes!

CYRANO All of you! Leave me here

Alone with that man!

(The lines following are heard brokenly, in the confusion of getting through the door.)

SECOND CADET Bigre! He’ll have the fellow

520 Chopped into sausage —

RAGUENEAU Sausage? —

THIRD CADET Mince-meat, then —

One of your pies! —

RAGUENEAU Am I pale? You look white

As a fresh napkin —

CARBON (at the door)

Come!

FOURTH CADET He’ll never leave

Enough of him to —

FIFTH CADET Why, it frightens me

To think of what will —

SIXTH CADET (closing the door)

Something horrible

525 Beyond imagination . . .

(They are all gone: some through the street door, some by the inner doors to right and left. A few disappear up the staircase. CYRANO and CHRISTIAN stand face to face a moment, and look at each other.)

CYRANO To my arms!

CHRISTIAN Sir? . . .

CYRANO You have courage!

CHRISTIAN Oh, that! . . .

CYRANO You are brave —

That pleases me.

CHRISTIAN You mean? . . .

CYRANO Do you not know

I am her brother? Come!

CHRISTIAN Whose? —

CYRANO Hers — Roxane!

CHRISTIAN Her . . . brother? You?

(Hurries to him.)

CYRANO Her cousin. Much the same.

530 CHRISTIAN And she has told you? . . .

CYRANO Everything.

CHRISTIAN She loves me?

CYRANO Perhaps.

CHRISTIAN (Takes both his hands.)

My dear sir — more than I can say,

I am honored —

CYRANO This is rather sudden.

CHRISTIAN Please

Forgive me —

CYRANO (Holds him at arms length, looking at him.)

Why, he is a handsome devil,

This fellow!

CHRISTIAN On my honor — if you knew

535 How much I have admired —

CYRANO Yes, yes — and all

Those Noses which —

CHRISTIAN Please! I apologize.

CYRANO (change of tone)

Roxane expects a letter —

CHRISTIAN Not from me? —

CYRANO Yes. Why not?

CHRISTIAN Once I write, that ruins all!

CYRANO And why?

CHRISTIAN Because . . . because I am a fool!

706

540 Stupid enough to hang myself!

CYRANO But no —

You are no fool; you call yourself a fool,

There’s proof enough in that. Besides, you did not

Attack me like a fool.

CHRISTIAN Bah! Any one

Can pick a quarrel. Yes, I have a sort

545 Of rough and ready soldier’s tongue. I know

That. But with any woman — paralyzed,

Speechless, dumb. I can only look at them.

Yet sometimes, when I go away, their eyes . . .

CYRANO Why not their hearts, if you should wait and see?

550 CHRISTIAN No. I am one of those — I know —those men

Who never can make love.

CYRANO Strange. . . . Now it seems

I, if I gave my mind to it, I might

Perhaps make love well.

CHRISTIAN Oh, if I had words

To say what I have here!

CYRANO If I could be

555 A handsome little Musketeer with eyes! —

CHRISTIAN Besides — you know Roxane —how sensitive —

One rough word, and the sweet illusion — gone!

CYRANO I wish you might be my interpreter.

CHRISTIAN I wish I had your wit —

CYRANO Borrow it, then! —

560 Your beautiful young manhood — lend me that,

And we two make one hero of romance!

CHRISTIAN What?

CYRANO Would you dare repeat to her the words

I gave you, day by day?

CHRISTIAN You mean?

CYRANO I mean

Roxane shall have no disillusionment!

565 Come, shall we win her both together? Take

The soul within this leathern jack of mine,

And breathe it into you?

(Touches him on the breast.)

So — there’s my heart

Under your velvet, now!

CHRISTIAN But — Cyrano! —

CYRANO But — Christian, why not?

CHRISTIAN I am afraid —

CYRANO I know —

570 Afraid that when you have her all alone,

You lose all. Have no fear. It is yourself

She loves — give her yourself put into words —

My words, upon your lips!

CHRISTIAN But . . . but your eyes! . . .

They burn like —

CYRANO Will you? . . . Will you?

CHRISTIAN Does it mean

575 So much to you?

CYRANO (beside himself)

It means —

(Recovers, changes tone.)

A Comedy,

707

A situation for a poet! Come,

Shall we collaborate? I’ll be your cloak

Of darkness, your enchanted sword, your ring

To charm the fairy Princess!

CHRISTIAN But the letter —

580 I cannot write —

CYRANO Oh yes, the letter.

(He takes from his pocket the letter which he has written.)

Here.

CHRISTIAN What is this?

CYRANO All there; all but the address.

CHRISTIAN I —

CYRANO Oh, you may send it. It will serve.

CHRISTIAN But why

Have you done this?

CYRANO I have amused myself

As we all do, we poets — writing vows

585 To Chloris, Phyllis — any pretty name —

You might have had a pocketful of them!

Take it, and turn to facts my fantasies —

I loosed these loves like doves into the air;

Give them a habitation and a home.

590 Here, take it — You will find me all the more

Eloquent, being insincere! Come!

CHRISTIAN First,

There must be a few changes here and there —

Written at random, can it fit Roxane?

CYRANO Like her own glove.

CHRISTIAN No, but —

CYRANO My son, have faith —

595 Faith in the love of women for themselves —

Roxane will know this letter for her own!

CHRISTIAN (Throws himself into the arms of CYRANO. They stand embraced.)

My friend!

(The door up stage opens a little. A Cadet steals in.)

THE CADET Nothing. A silence like the tomb . . .

I hardly dare look —

(He sees the two.)

Wha-at?

(The Other Cadets crowd in behind him and see.)

THE CADETS No! — No!

SECOND CADET Mon dieu!

THE MUSKETEER (Slaps his knee.)

Well, well, well!

CARBON Here’s our devil . . . Christianized!

600 Offend one nostril, and he turns the other.

THE MUSKETEER Now we are allowed to talk about his nose!

(calls)

Hey, Lise! Come here —

(affectedly)

Snf! What a horrid smell!

What is it? . . .

(Plants himself in front of CYRANO, and looks at his nose in an impolite manner.)

You ought to know about such things;

What seems to have died around here?

CYRANO (Knocks him backward over a bench.)

Cabbage-heads!

(Joy. The Cadets have found their old CYRANO again. General disturbance.)

(Curtain)