Cyrano de Bergerac [23]
(in a low voice): Yes. . .his name is The Baron de Neuvil. . .
CYRANO (checking himself): Good! It is well. . . (He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian): I. . . (He controls himself): What said I?. . . (With a burst of rage): MORDIOUS!. . . (Then continues calmly): That it was dark. (Astonishment. The cadets reseat themselves, staring at him): On I went, thinking, 'For a knavish cause I may provoke some great man, some great prince, Who certainly could break'. . .
CHRISTIAN: My nose!. . .
(Every one starts up. Christian balances on his chair.)
CYRANO (in a choked voice): . . .'My teeth! Who would break my teeth, and I, imprudent-like, Was poking. . .'
CHRISTIAN: My nose!. . .
CYRANO: 'My finger,. . .in the crack Between the tree and bark! He may prove strong And rap me. . .'
CHRISTIAN: Over the nose. . .
CYRANO (wiping his forehead): . . .'O' th' knuckles! Ay,' But I cried, 'Forward, Gascon! Duty calls! On, Cyrano!' And thus I ventured on. . . When, from the shadow, came. . .
CHRISTIAN: A crack o' th' nose.
CYRANO: I parry it--find myself. . .
CHRISTIAN: Nose to nose. . .
CYRANO (bounding on to him): Heaven and earth! (All the Gascons leap up to see, but when he is close to Christian he controls himself and continues): . . .With a hundred brawling sots, Who stank. . .
CHRISTIAN: A noseful. . .
CYRANO (white, but smiling): Onions, brandy-cups! I leapt out, head well down. . .
CHRISTIAN: Nosing the wind!
CYRANO: I charge!--gore two, impale one--run him through, One aims at me--Paf! and I parry. . .
CHRISTIAN: Pif!
CYRANO (bursting out): Great God! Out! all of you!
(The cadets rush to the doors.)
FIRST CADET: The tiger wakes!
CYRANO: Every man, out! Leave me alone with him!
SECOND CADET: We shall find him minced fine, minced into hash In a big pasty!
RAGUENEAU: I am turning pale, And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!
CARBON: Let us be gone.
ANOTHER: He will not leave a crumb!
ANOTHER: I die of fright to think what will pass here!
ANOTHER (shutting door right): Something too horrible!
(All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase. Cyrano and Christian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.)
Scene 2.X.
Cyrano, Christian.
CYRANO: Embrace me now!
CHRISTIAN: Sir. . .
CYRANO: You are brave.
CHRISTIAN: Oh! but. . .
CYRANO: Nay, I insist.
CHRISTIAN: Pray tell me. . .
CYRANO: Come, embrace! I am her brother.
CHRISTIAN: Whose brother?
CYRANO: Hers i' faith! Roxane's!
CHRISTIAN (rushing up to him): O heavens! Her brother. . .?
CYRANO: Cousin--brother!. . .the same thing!
CHRISTIAN: And she has told you. . .?
CYRANO: All!
CHRISTIAN: She loves me? say!
CYRANO: Maybe!
CHRISTIAN (taking his hands): How glad I am to meet you, Sir!
CYRANO: That may be called a sudden sentiment!
CHRISTIAN: I ask your pardon. . .
CYRANO (looking at him, with his hand on his shoulder): True, he's fair, the villain!
CHRISTIAN: Ah, Sir! If you but knew my admiration!. . .
CYRANO: But all those noses?. . .
CHRISTIAN: Oh! I take them back!
CYRANO: Roxane expects a letter.
CHRISTIAN: Woe the day!
CYRANO: How?
CHRISTIAN: I am lost if I but ope my lips!
CYRANO: Why so?
CHRISTIAN: I am a fool--could die for shame!
CYRANO: None is a fool who knows himself a fool. And you did not attack me like a fool.
CHRISTIAN: Bah! One finds battle-cry to lead th' assault! I have a certain military wit, But, before women, can but hold my tongue. Their eyes! True, when I pass, their eyes are kind. . .
CYRANO: And, when you stay, their hearts, methinks, are kinder?
CHRISTIAN: No! for I am one of those men--tongue-tied, I know it--who can never tell their love.
CYRANO: And I, meseems, had Nature been more kind, More careful, when she fashioned me,--had been
CYRANO (checking himself): Good! It is well. . . (He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian): I. . . (He controls himself): What said I?. . . (With a burst of rage): MORDIOUS!. . . (Then continues calmly): That it was dark. (Astonishment. The cadets reseat themselves, staring at him): On I went, thinking, 'For a knavish cause I may provoke some great man, some great prince, Who certainly could break'. . .
CHRISTIAN: My nose!. . .
(Every one starts up. Christian balances on his chair.)
CYRANO (in a choked voice): . . .'My teeth! Who would break my teeth, and I, imprudent-like, Was poking. . .'
CHRISTIAN: My nose!. . .
CYRANO: 'My finger,. . .in the crack Between the tree and bark! He may prove strong And rap me. . .'
CHRISTIAN: Over the nose. . .
CYRANO (wiping his forehead): . . .'O' th' knuckles! Ay,' But I cried, 'Forward, Gascon! Duty calls! On, Cyrano!' And thus I ventured on. . . When, from the shadow, came. . .
CHRISTIAN: A crack o' th' nose.
CYRANO: I parry it--find myself. . .
CHRISTIAN: Nose to nose. . .
CYRANO (bounding on to him): Heaven and earth! (All the Gascons leap up to see, but when he is close to Christian he controls himself and continues): . . .With a hundred brawling sots, Who stank. . .
CHRISTIAN: A noseful. . .
CYRANO (white, but smiling): Onions, brandy-cups! I leapt out, head well down. . .
CHRISTIAN: Nosing the wind!
CYRANO: I charge!--gore two, impale one--run him through, One aims at me--Paf! and I parry. . .
CHRISTIAN: Pif!
CYRANO (bursting out): Great God! Out! all of you!
(The cadets rush to the doors.)
FIRST CADET: The tiger wakes!
CYRANO: Every man, out! Leave me alone with him!
SECOND CADET: We shall find him minced fine, minced into hash In a big pasty!
RAGUENEAU: I am turning pale, And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!
CARBON: Let us be gone.
ANOTHER: He will not leave a crumb!
ANOTHER: I die of fright to think what will pass here!
ANOTHER (shutting door right): Something too horrible!
(All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase. Cyrano and Christian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.)
Scene 2.X.
Cyrano, Christian.
CYRANO: Embrace me now!
CHRISTIAN: Sir. . .
CYRANO: You are brave.
CHRISTIAN: Oh! but. . .
CYRANO: Nay, I insist.
CHRISTIAN: Pray tell me. . .
CYRANO: Come, embrace! I am her brother.
CHRISTIAN: Whose brother?
CYRANO: Hers i' faith! Roxane's!
CHRISTIAN (rushing up to him): O heavens! Her brother. . .?
CYRANO: Cousin--brother!. . .the same thing!
CHRISTIAN: And she has told you. . .?
CYRANO: All!
CHRISTIAN: She loves me? say!
CYRANO: Maybe!
CHRISTIAN (taking his hands): How glad I am to meet you, Sir!
CYRANO: That may be called a sudden sentiment!
CHRISTIAN: I ask your pardon. . .
CYRANO (looking at him, with his hand on his shoulder): True, he's fair, the villain!
CHRISTIAN: Ah, Sir! If you but knew my admiration!. . .
CYRANO: But all those noses?. . .
CHRISTIAN: Oh! I take them back!
CYRANO: Roxane expects a letter.
CHRISTIAN: Woe the day!
CYRANO: How?
CHRISTIAN: I am lost if I but ope my lips!
CYRANO: Why so?
CHRISTIAN: I am a fool--could die for shame!
CYRANO: None is a fool who knows himself a fool. And you did not attack me like a fool.
CHRISTIAN: Bah! One finds battle-cry to lead th' assault! I have a certain military wit, But, before women, can but hold my tongue. Their eyes! True, when I pass, their eyes are kind. . .
CYRANO: And, when you stay, their hearts, methinks, are kinder?
CHRISTIAN: No! for I am one of those men--tongue-tied, I know it--who can never tell their love.
CYRANO: And I, meseems, had Nature been more kind, More careful, when she fashioned me,--had been