 | Cyrano de Bergerac: A Play in Five Acts |  |
Scene VII.
Cyrano, Ragueneau, poets, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, a crowd, then De Guiche.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!
No!
CARBON
They're drinking opposite, at The Bear's Head.
CYRANO
I. . .
CARBON
(going to the door and calling across the street in a voice of thunder)
He won't come! The hero's in the sulks!
A VOICE
(outside)
Ah! Sandious!
(Tumult outside. Noise of boots and swords is heard approaching.)
CARBON
(rubbing his hands)
They are running 'cross the street!
CADETS
(entering)
Mille dious! Capdedious! Pocapdedious!
RAGUENEAU
(drawing back startled)
Gentlemen, are you all from Gascony?
THE CADETS
All!
A CADET
(to Cyrano)
Bravo!
Baron!
ANOTHER
(shaking his hands)
Vivat!
CYRANO
Baron!
THIRD CADET
Come! I must embrace you!
CYRANO
Baron!
SEVERAL GASCONS
We'll embrace Him, all in turn!
CYRANO
(not knowing whom to reply to)
Baron!. . .Baron!. . .I beg. . .
RAGUENEAU
Are you all Barons, Sirs?
THE CADETS
Ay, every one!
RAGUENEAU
Is it true?. . .
FIRST CADET
Ay--why, you could build a tower With nothing but our coronets, my friend!
(entering, and running up to Cyrano)
They're looking for you! Here's a crazy mob Led by the men who followed you last night. . .
CYRANO
(alarmed)
What! Have you told them where to find me?
LE BRET
(rubbing his hands)
Yes!
A BURGHER
(entering, followed by a group of men)
Sir, all the Marais is a-coming here!
(Outside the street has filled with people. Chaises a porteurs and carriages have drawn up.)
LE BRET
(in a low voice, smiling, to Cyrano)
And Roxane?
CYRANO
(quickly)
Hush!
THE CROWD
(calling outside)
Cyrano!. . .
(A crowd rush into the shop, pushing one another. Acclamations.)
(standing on a table)
Lo! my shop Invaded! They break all! Magnificent!
PEOPLE
(crowding round Cyrano)
My friend!. . .my friend. . .
Cyrano
Meseems that yesterday I had not all these friends!
LE BRET
(delighted)
Success!
A YOUNG MARQUIS
(hurrying up with his hands held out)
My friend, Didst thou but know. . .
CYRANO
Thou!. . .Marry!. . .thou!. . .Pray when Did we herd swine together, you and I!
ANOTHER
I would present you, Sir, to some fair dames Who in my carriage yonder. . .
CYRANO
(coldly)
Ah! and who Will first present you, Sir, to me?
(astonished)
What's wrong?
CYRANO
Hush!
A MAN OF LETTERS
(with writing-board)
A few details?. . .
CYRANO
No.
LE BRET
(nudging his elbow)
'Tis Theophrast, Renaudet,. . .of the 'Court Gazette'!
CYRANO
Who cares?
LE BRET
This paper--but it is of great importance!. . . They say it will be an immense success!
A POET
(advancing)
Sir. . .
CYRANO
What, another!
THE POET
. . .Pray permit I make A pentacrostic on your name. . .
SOME ONE
(also advancing)
Pray, Sir. . .
Enough! Enough!
(A movement in the crowd. De Guiche appears, escorted by officers. Cuigy, Brissaille, the officers who went with Cyrano the night before. Cuigy comes rapidly up to Cyrano.)
CUIGY
(to Cyrano)
Here is Monsieur de Guiche?
(A murmur--every one makes way)He comes from the Marshal of Gassion!
DE GUICHE
(bowing to Cyrano)
. . .Who would express his admiration, Sir, For your new exploit noised so loud abroad.
THE CROWD
Bravo!
CYRANO
(bowing)
The Marshal is a judge of valor.
DE GUICHE
He could not have believed the thing, unless These gentlemen had sworn they witnessed it.
CUIGY
With our own eyes!
LE BRET
(aside to Cyrano, who has an absent air)
But. . .you. . .
CYRANO
Hush!
But. . .You suffer?
CYRANO
(starting)
Before this rabble?--I?. . .
(He draws himself up, twirls his mustache, and throws back his shoulders)Wait!. . .You shall see!
DE GUICHE
(to whom Cuigy has spoken in a low voice)
In feats of arms, already your career Abounded.--You serve with those crazy pates Of Gascons?
CYRANO
Ay, with the Cadets.
A CADET
(in a terrible voice)
With us!
DE GUICHE
(looking at the cadets, ranged behind Cyrano)
Ah!. . .All these gentlemen of haughty mien, Are they the famous?. . .
CARBON
Cyrano!
CYRANO
Ay, Captain!
CARBON
Since all my company's assembled here, Pray favor me,--present them to my lord!
(making two steps toward De Guiche)
My Lord de Guiche, permit that I present--
(pointing to the cadets)Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!
Brawling and swaggering boastfully,
The bold Cadets of Gascony!
Spouting of Armory, Heraldry,
Their veins a-brimming with blood so blue,
The bold Cadets of Gascony,
Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux
Fierce mustache, and wolfish tooth!
Slash-the-rabble and scatter-their-ranks;
Eagle-eye and spindle-shanks,
With a flaming feather that gayly pranks,
Hiding the holes in their hats, forsooth!
Eagle-eye and spindle-shanks,
Fierce mustache, and wolfish tooth!
Are their gentlest sobriquets;
With Fame and Glory their soul is drunk!
'Pink-your-Doublet' and 'Slit-your-Trunk,'
In brawl and skirmish they show their spunk,
Give rendezvous in broil and fray;
'Pink-your-Doublet' and 'Slit-your-Trunk'
Are their gentlest sobriquets!
All jealous lovers are sport for you!
O Woman! dear divinity!
What, ho! Cadets of Gascony!
Blow, 'taratara,' and cry 'Cuckoo.'
What, ho! Cadets of Gascony!
Husbands and lovers are game for you!
DE GUICHE
(seated with haughty carelessness in an armchair brought quickly by Ragueneau)
A poet! 'Tis the fashion of the hour! --Will you be mine?
CYRANO
No, Sir,--no man's!
DE GUICHE
Last night Your fancy pleased my uncle Richelieu. I'll gladly say a word to him for you.
LE BRET
(overjoyed)
Great Heavens!
DE GUICHE
I imagine you have rhymed Five acts, or so?
LE BRET
(in Cyrano's ear)
Your play!--your 'Agrippine!' You'll see it staged at last!
DE GUICHE
Take them to him.
(beginning to be tempted and attracted)
In sooth,--I would. . .
DE GUICHE
He is a critic skilled He may correct a line or two, at most.
CYRANO
(whose face stiffens at once)
Impossible! My blood congeals to think That other hand should change a comma's dot.
DE GUICHE
But when a verse approves itself to him He pays it dear, good friend.
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. . .
'Spolia opima!'
ALL
(laughing)
Ah! ah! ah!
CUIGY
He who laid that ambush, 'faith! Must curse and swear!
BRISSAILLE
Who was it?
DE GUICHE
I myself.
(The laughter stops)I charged them--work too dirty for my sword, To punish and chastise a rhymster sot.
(Constrained silence.)
The CADET
(in a low voice, to Cyrano, showing him the beavers)
What do with them? They're full of grease!--a stew?
CYRANO
(taking the sword and, with a salute, dropping the hats at De Guiche's feet)
Sir, pray be good enough to render them Back to your friends.
DE GUICHE
(rising, sharply)
My chair there--quick!--I go!
(To Cyrano passionately)As to you, sirrah!. . .
(in the street)
Porters for my lord De Guiche!
DE GUICHE
(who has controlled himself--smiling)
Have you read 'Don Quixote'?
CYRANO
I have! And doff my hat at th' mad knight-errant's name.
DE GUICHE
I counsel you to study. . .
A PORTER
(appearing at back)
My lord's chair!
DE GUICHE
. . .The windmill chapter!
CYRANO
(bowing)
Chapter the Thirteenth.
DE GUICHE
For when one tilts 'gainst windmills--it may chance. . .
CYRANO
Tilt I 'gainst those who change with every breeze?
. . .That windmill sails may sweep you with their arm Down--in the mire!. . .
CYRANO
Or upward--to the stars!
(De Guiche goes out, and mounts into his chair. The other lords go away whispering together. Le Bret goes to the door with them. The crowd disperses.)
| Cyrano de Bergerac: A Play in Five Acts | |