Cyrano de Bergerac [45]
her away): Nothing. . .I have two words to say:--one second. . .
ROXANE: But?. . .
CHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets): Those poor fellows, shortly doomed to death,-- My love deprives them of the sight of you: Go,--speak to them--smile on them ere they die!
ROXANE (deeply affected): Dear Christian!. . .
(She goes up to the cadets, who respectfully crowd round her.)
Scene 4.IX.
Christian, Cyrano. At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.
CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent): Cyrano!
CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed): What? Why so pale?
CHRISTIAN: She does not love me!
CYRANO: What?
CHRISTIAN: 'Tis you she loves!
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: --For she loves me only for my soul!
CYRANO: Truly?
CHRISTIAN: Yes! Thus--you see, that soul is you,. . . Therefore, 'tis you she loves!--And you--love her!
CYRANO: I?
CHRISTIAN: Oh, I know it!
CYRANO: Ay, 'tis true!
CHRISTIAN: You love To madness!
CYRANO: Ay! and worse!
CHRISTIAN: Then tell her so!
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: And why not?
CYRANO: Look at my face!--be answered!
CHRISTIAN: She'd love me--were I ugly.
CYRANO: Said she so?
CHRISTIAN: Ay! in those words!
CYRANO: I'm glad she told you that! But pooh!--believe it not! I am well pleased She thought to tell you. Take it not for truth. Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!
CHRISTIAN: That I intend discovering!
CYRANO: No! I beg!
CHRISTIAN: Ay! she shall choose between us!--Tell her all!
CYRANO: No! no! I will not have it! Spare me this!
CHRISTIAN: Because my face is haply fair, shall I Destroy your happiness? 'Twere too unjust!
CYRANO: And I,--because by Nature's freak I have The gift to say--all that perchance you feel. Shall I be fatal to your happiness?
CHRISTIAN: Tell all!
CYRANO: It is ill done to tempt me thus!
CHRISTIAN: Too long I've borne about within myself A rival to myself--I'll make an end!
CYRANO: Christian!
CHRISTIAN: Or union, without witness--secret-- Clandestine--can be easily dissolved If we survive.
CYRANO: My God!--he still persists!
CHRISTIAN: I will be loved myself--or not at all! --I'll go see what they do--there, at the end Of the post: speak to her, and then let her choose One of us two!
CYRANO: It will be you.
CHRISTIAN: Pray God! (He calls): Roxane!
CYRANO: No! no!
ROXANE (coming up quickly): What?
CHRISTIAN: Cyrano has things Important for your ear. . .
(She hastens to Cyrano. Christian goes out.)
Scene 4.X.
Roxane, Cyrano. Then Le Bret, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, Ragueneau, De Guiche, etc.
ROXANE: Important, how?
CYRANO (in despair. to Roxane): He's gone! 'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees Importance in a trifle!
ROXANE (warmly): Did he doubt Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!
CYRANO (taking her hand): But are you sure you told him all the truth?
ROXANE: Yes, I would love him were he. . .
(She hesitates.)
CYRANO: Does that word Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?
ROXANE: I. . .
CYRANO (smiling sadly): 'Twill not hurt me! Say it! If he were Ugly!. . .
ROXANE: Yes, ugly! (Musket report outside): Hark! I hear a shot!
CYRANO (ardently): Hideous!
ROXANE: Hideous! yes!
CYRANO: Disfigured.
ROXANE: Ay!
CYRANO: Grotesque?
ROXANE: He could not be grotesque to me!
CYRANO: You'd love the same?. . .
ROXANE: The same--nay, even more!
CYRANO (losing command over himself--aside): My God! it's true, perchance, love waits me there! (To Roxane): I. . .Roxane. . .listen. . .
LE BRET (entering hurriedly--to Cyrano): Cyrano!
CYRANO (turning round): What?
LE BRET: Hush!
(He whispers something to him.)
CYRANO (letting go Roxane's hand and exclaiming): Ah, God!
ROXANE: What is it?
CYRANO (to himself--stunned): All is over now.
(Renewed reports.)
ROXANE: What is the
ROXANE: But?. . .
CHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets): Those poor fellows, shortly doomed to death,-- My love deprives them of the sight of you: Go,--speak to them--smile on them ere they die!
ROXANE (deeply affected): Dear Christian!. . .
(She goes up to the cadets, who respectfully crowd round her.)
Scene 4.IX.
Christian, Cyrano. At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.
CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent): Cyrano!
CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed): What? Why so pale?
CHRISTIAN: She does not love me!
CYRANO: What?
CHRISTIAN: 'Tis you she loves!
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: --For she loves me only for my soul!
CYRANO: Truly?
CHRISTIAN: Yes! Thus--you see, that soul is you,. . . Therefore, 'tis you she loves!--And you--love her!
CYRANO: I?
CHRISTIAN: Oh, I know it!
CYRANO: Ay, 'tis true!
CHRISTIAN: You love To madness!
CYRANO: Ay! and worse!
CHRISTIAN: Then tell her so!
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: And why not?
CYRANO: Look at my face!--be answered!
CHRISTIAN: She'd love me--were I ugly.
CYRANO: Said she so?
CHRISTIAN: Ay! in those words!
CYRANO: I'm glad she told you that! But pooh!--believe it not! I am well pleased She thought to tell you. Take it not for truth. Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!
CHRISTIAN: That I intend discovering!
CYRANO: No! I beg!
CHRISTIAN: Ay! she shall choose between us!--Tell her all!
CYRANO: No! no! I will not have it! Spare me this!
CHRISTIAN: Because my face is haply fair, shall I Destroy your happiness? 'Twere too unjust!
CYRANO: And I,--because by Nature's freak I have The gift to say--all that perchance you feel. Shall I be fatal to your happiness?
CHRISTIAN: Tell all!
CYRANO: It is ill done to tempt me thus!
CHRISTIAN: Too long I've borne about within myself A rival to myself--I'll make an end!
CYRANO: Christian!
CHRISTIAN: Or union, without witness--secret-- Clandestine--can be easily dissolved If we survive.
CYRANO: My God!--he still persists!
CHRISTIAN: I will be loved myself--or not at all! --I'll go see what they do--there, at the end Of the post: speak to her, and then let her choose One of us two!
CYRANO: It will be you.
CHRISTIAN: Pray God! (He calls): Roxane!
CYRANO: No! no!
ROXANE (coming up quickly): What?
CHRISTIAN: Cyrano has things Important for your ear. . .
(She hastens to Cyrano. Christian goes out.)
Scene 4.X.
Roxane, Cyrano. Then Le Bret, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, Ragueneau, De Guiche, etc.
ROXANE: Important, how?
CYRANO (in despair. to Roxane): He's gone! 'Tis naught!--Oh, you know how he sees Importance in a trifle!
ROXANE (warmly): Did he doubt Of what I said?--Ah, yes, I saw he doubted!
CYRANO (taking her hand): But are you sure you told him all the truth?
ROXANE: Yes, I would love him were he. . .
(She hesitates.)
CYRANO: Does that word Embarrass you before my face, Roxane?
ROXANE: I. . .
CYRANO (smiling sadly): 'Twill not hurt me! Say it! If he were Ugly!. . .
ROXANE: Yes, ugly! (Musket report outside): Hark! I hear a shot!
CYRANO (ardently): Hideous!
ROXANE: Hideous! yes!
CYRANO: Disfigured.
ROXANE: Ay!
CYRANO: Grotesque?
ROXANE: He could not be grotesque to me!
CYRANO: You'd love the same?. . .
ROXANE: The same--nay, even more!
CYRANO (losing command over himself--aside): My God! it's true, perchance, love waits me there! (To Roxane): I. . .Roxane. . .listen. . .
LE BRET (entering hurriedly--to Cyrano): Cyrano!
CYRANO (turning round): What?
LE BRET: Hush!
(He whispers something to him.)
CYRANO (letting go Roxane's hand and exclaiming): Ah, God!
ROXANE: What is it?
CYRANO (to himself--stunned): All is over now.
(Renewed reports.)
ROXANE: What is the