Cyrano de Bergerac [31]
am thine! Thou hast conquered all of me!
CYRANO: Then let death come! 'Tis I, 'tis I myself, who conquered thee! One thing, but one, I dare to ask--
CHRISTIAN (under the balcony): A kiss!
ROXANE (drawing back): What?
CYRANO: Oh!
ROXANE: You ask. . .?
CYRANO: I. . . (To Christian, whispering): Fool! you go too quick!
CHRISTIAN: Since she is moved thus--I will profit by it!
CYRANO (to Roxane): My words sprang thoughtlessly, but now I see-- Shame on me!--I was too presumptuous.
ROXANE (a little chilled): How quickly you withdraw.
CYRANO: Yes, I withdraw Without withdrawing! Hurt I modesty? If so--the kiss I asked--oh, grant it not.
CHRISTIAN (to Cyrano, pulling him by his cloak): Why?
CYRANO: Silence, Christian! Hush!
ROXANE (leaning over): What whisper you?
CYRANO: I chid myself for my too bold advances; Said, 'Silence, Christian!' (The lutes begin to play): Hark! Wait awhile,. . . Steps come! (Roxane shuts the window. Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a merry, the other a melancholy, tune): Why, they play sad--then gay--then sad! What? Neither man nor woman?--oh! a monk!
(Enter a capuchin friar, with a lantern. He goes from house to house, looking at every door.)
Scene 3.VII.
Cyrano, Christian, a capuchin friar.
CYRANO (to the friar): What do you, playing at Diogenes?
THE FRIAR: I seek the house of Madame. . .
CHRISTIAN: Oh! plague take him!
THE FRIAR: Madeleine Robin. . .
CHRISTIAN: What would he?. . .
CYRANO (pointing to a street at the back): This way! Straight on. . .
THE FRIAR I thank you, and, in your intention Will tell my rosary to its last bead.
(He goes out.)
CYRANO: Good luck! My blessings rest upon your cowl!
(He goes back to Christian.)
Scene 3.VIII.
Cyrano, Christian.
CHRISTIAN: Oh! win for me that kiss. . .
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: Soon or late!. . .
CYRANO: 'Tis true! The moment of intoxication-- Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips! (To himself): I'd fainer it should come thanks to. . .
(A sound of shutters reopening. Christian goes in again under the balcony.)
Scene 3.IX.
Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.
ROXANE (coming out on the balcony): Still there? We spoke of a. . .
CYRANO: A kiss! The word is sweet. I see not why your lip should shrink from it; If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do? Oh! let it not your bashfulness affright; Have you not, all this time, insensibly, Left badinage aside, and unalarmed Glided from smile to sigh,--from sigh to weeping? Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward-- From tear to kiss,--a moment's thrill!--a heartbeat!
ROXANE: Hush! hush!
CYRANO: A kiss, when all is said,--what is it? An oath that's ratified,--a sealed promise, A heart's avowal claiming confirmation,-- A rose-dot on the 'i' of 'adoration,'-- A secret that to mouth, not ear, is whispered,-- Brush of a bee's wing, that makes time eternal,-- Communion perfumed like the spring's wild flowers,-- The heart's relieving in the heart's outbreathing, When to the lips the soul's flood rises, brimming!
ROXANE: Hush! hush!
CYRANO: A kiss, Madame, is honorable: The Queen of France, to a most favored lord Did grant a kiss--the Queen herself!
ROXANE: What then?
CYRANO (speaking more warmly): Buckingham suffered dumbly,--so have I,-- Adored his Queen, as loyally as I,-- Was sad, but faithful,--so am I. . .
ROXANE: And you Are fair as Buckingham!
CYRANO (aside--suddenly cooled): True,--I forgot!
ROXANE: Must I then bid thee mount to cull this flower?
CYRANO (pushing Christian toward the balcony): Mount!
ROXANE: This heart-breathing!. . .
CYRANO: Mount!
ROXANE: This brush of bee's wing!. . .
CYRANO: Mount!
CHRISTIAN (hesitating): But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!
ROXANE: This moment infinite!. . .
CYRANO
CYRANO: Then let death come! 'Tis I, 'tis I myself, who conquered thee! One thing, but one, I dare to ask--
CHRISTIAN (under the balcony): A kiss!
ROXANE (drawing back): What?
CYRANO: Oh!
ROXANE: You ask. . .?
CYRANO: I. . . (To Christian, whispering): Fool! you go too quick!
CHRISTIAN: Since she is moved thus--I will profit by it!
CYRANO (to Roxane): My words sprang thoughtlessly, but now I see-- Shame on me!--I was too presumptuous.
ROXANE (a little chilled): How quickly you withdraw.
CYRANO: Yes, I withdraw Without withdrawing! Hurt I modesty? If so--the kiss I asked--oh, grant it not.
CHRISTIAN (to Cyrano, pulling him by his cloak): Why?
CYRANO: Silence, Christian! Hush!
ROXANE (leaning over): What whisper you?
CYRANO: I chid myself for my too bold advances; Said, 'Silence, Christian!' (The lutes begin to play): Hark! Wait awhile,. . . Steps come! (Roxane shuts the window. Cyrano listens to the lutes, one of which plays a merry, the other a melancholy, tune): Why, they play sad--then gay--then sad! What? Neither man nor woman?--oh! a monk!
(Enter a capuchin friar, with a lantern. He goes from house to house, looking at every door.)
Scene 3.VII.
Cyrano, Christian, a capuchin friar.
CYRANO (to the friar): What do you, playing at Diogenes?
THE FRIAR: I seek the house of Madame. . .
CHRISTIAN: Oh! plague take him!
THE FRIAR: Madeleine Robin. . .
CHRISTIAN: What would he?. . .
CYRANO (pointing to a street at the back): This way! Straight on. . .
THE FRIAR I thank you, and, in your intention Will tell my rosary to its last bead.
(He goes out.)
CYRANO: Good luck! My blessings rest upon your cowl!
(He goes back to Christian.)
Scene 3.VIII.
Cyrano, Christian.
CHRISTIAN: Oh! win for me that kiss. . .
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: Soon or late!. . .
CYRANO: 'Tis true! The moment of intoxication-- Of madness,--when your mouths are sure to meet Thanks to your fair mustache--and her rose lips! (To himself): I'd fainer it should come thanks to. . .
(A sound of shutters reopening. Christian goes in again under the balcony.)
Scene 3.IX.
Cyrano, Christian, Roxane.
ROXANE (coming out on the balcony): Still there? We spoke of a. . .
CYRANO: A kiss! The word is sweet. I see not why your lip should shrink from it; If the word burns it,--what would the kiss do? Oh! let it not your bashfulness affright; Have you not, all this time, insensibly, Left badinage aside, and unalarmed Glided from smile to sigh,--from sigh to weeping? Glide gently, imperceptibly, still onward-- From tear to kiss,--a moment's thrill!--a heartbeat!
ROXANE: Hush! hush!
CYRANO: A kiss, when all is said,--what is it? An oath that's ratified,--a sealed promise, A heart's avowal claiming confirmation,-- A rose-dot on the 'i' of 'adoration,'-- A secret that to mouth, not ear, is whispered,-- Brush of a bee's wing, that makes time eternal,-- Communion perfumed like the spring's wild flowers,-- The heart's relieving in the heart's outbreathing, When to the lips the soul's flood rises, brimming!
ROXANE: Hush! hush!
CYRANO: A kiss, Madame, is honorable: The Queen of France, to a most favored lord Did grant a kiss--the Queen herself!
ROXANE: What then?
CYRANO (speaking more warmly): Buckingham suffered dumbly,--so have I,-- Adored his Queen, as loyally as I,-- Was sad, but faithful,--so am I. . .
ROXANE: And you Are fair as Buckingham!
CYRANO (aside--suddenly cooled): True,--I forgot!
ROXANE: Must I then bid thee mount to cull this flower?
CYRANO (pushing Christian toward the balcony): Mount!
ROXANE: This heart-breathing!. . .
CYRANO: Mount!
ROXANE: This brush of bee's wing!. . .
CYRANO: Mount!
CHRISTIAN (hesitating): But I feel now, as though 'twere ill done!
ROXANE: This moment infinite!. . .
CYRANO