Cyrano De Bergerac Part 9

CYRANO Yes, yes.

ROXANE A hundred men against you? ... Well, adieu. We are fast friends.

CYRANO Yes, yes.

ROXANE Tell him to write me! ... A hundred men! You shall tell me another time. I must not linger now ... A hundred men! What a heroic thing to do!

CYRANO [bowing] [bowing] Oh, I have done better since! [ Oh, I have done better since! [Exit ROXANE. CYRANO stands motionless, staring at the ground. Silence. The door at the right opens. RAGUENEAU thrusts in his head.]

SCENE VII.

Cyrano, Ragueneau, the Poets, Carbon de Castel-jaloux, the Cadets, the Crowd, etc., then De Guiche

RAGNENEAU May we come back?

CYRANO [without moving] [without moving] Yes ... Yes ... [RAGUENEAU beckons, his friends come in again. At the same time, in the doorway at the back, appears CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX, costume of a Captain of the Guards. On seeing CYRANO, he gesticulates exaggeratedly by way of signal to someone out of sight.] [RAGUENEAU beckons, his friends come in again. At the same time, in the doorway at the back, appears CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX, costume of a Captain of the Guards. On seeing CYRANO, he gesticulates exaggeratedly by way of signal to someone out of sight.]

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOLIX He is here!

CYRANO [looking up] [looking up] Captain! Captain!

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [exultant] Hero! We know all! ... About thirty of my cadets are out there! ...

CYRANO [drawing back] [drawing back] But ... But ...

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [trying to lead him Off] [trying to lead him Off] Come! ... You are in request! Come! ... You are in request!

CYRANO No!

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOLIX They are drinking across the way, at the Cross of the Hilt.

CYRANO I ...

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [going to the door and shouting toward the street corner, in a voice of thunder] [going to the door and shouting toward the street corner, in a voice of thunder] The hero refuses. He is not in the humor! The hero refuses. He is not in the humor!

A VOICE [outside] Ah, sandious! ... [outside] Ah, sandious! ... 40 40 [Tumult outside, noise of clanking swords and of boots drawing nearer.] [Tumult outside, noise of clanking swords and of boots drawing nearer.]

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [rubbing his hands] [rubbing his hands] Here they come, across the street.... Here they come, across the street....

THE CADETS [entering the cookshop] Mille diousl .... Capdediousl [entering the cookshop] Mille diousl .... Capdediousl ... ... Mordious! Mordious! ... ... Pocapdediousl Pocapdediousl ... ...

RAGUENEAU [backing in alarm] [backing in alarm] Messieurs, are you all natives of Gascony? Messieurs, are you all natives of Gascony?

THE CADETS All!

ONE OF THE CADETS [to [to CYRANO] Bravo! CYRANO] Bravo!

CYRANO Baron!

OTHER CADET [shaking both [shaking both CYRANO's CYRANO's hands] hands] Vivat! Vivat!

CYRANO Baron!

THIRD CADET Let me hug you to my heart!

CYRANO Baron!

SEVERAL GASCONS Bravo! Let us hug him!

CYRANO [not knowing which one to answer [not knowing which one to answer] Baron! ... baron! ... your pardon!

RAGUENEAU Messieurs, are you all barons?

THE CADETS All!

RAGUENEAU Are they truly?

FIRST CADET Our coats of arms piled up would dwindle in the clouds!

LE BRET [entering, running to [entering, running to CYRANO] They are looking for you! A crowd, gone mad as March, led by those who were with you last night. CYRANO] They are looking for you! A crowd, gone mad as March, led by those who were with you last night.

CYRANO [alarmed] You never told them where to find me?

LE BRET [rubbing his hands] [rubbing his hands] I did. I did.

A BURGHER [entering,followed by a number of others] [entering,followed by a number of others] Monsieur, the Marais Monsieur, the Marais41 is coming in a body! is coming in a body! [The street outside has filled with people. Sedan-chairs, coaches stop before the door.] [The street outside has filled with people. Sedan-chairs, coaches stop before the door.]

LE BRET [smiling, low to [smiling, low to CYRANO] And Roxane? CYRANO] And Roxane?

CYRANO [quickly] [quickly] Be quiet! Be quiet!

THE CROWD [outside.] [outside.] Cyrano! Cyrano! [A rabble bursts into the cookshop. Confusion. Shouting.] [A rabble bursts into the cookshop. Confusion. Shouting.]

RAGUENEAU [standing upon a table] [standing upon a table] My shop is invaded! They are breaking everything! It is glorious! My shop is invaded! They are breaking everything! It is glorious!

PEOPLE [pressing round [pressing round CYRANO] My friend ... my friend.... CYRANO] My friend ... my friend....

CYRANO I had not so many friends ... yesterday!

LE BRET This is success!

A YOUNG MARQUIS [running toward [running toward CYRANO, CYRANO, with outstretched hands] with outstretched hands] If you knew, my dear fellow . If you knew, my dear fellow .

CYRANO Dear? ... Fellow? ... Where was it we stood sentinel together?

OTHER MARQUIS I wish to present you, sir, to several ladies, who are outside in my coach....

CYRAN O [coldly] But you, to me, by whom will you first be presented?

LE BRET [astonished] But what is the matter with you?

CYRANO Be still!

A MAN OF LETTERS [with an inkhorn] [with an inkhorn] Will you kindly favor me with the details of ... Will you kindly favor me with the details of ...

CYRANO No.

LE BRET [nudging him] [nudging him] That is Theophrastus Renaudot, the inventor of the gazette. That is Theophrastus Renaudot, the inventor of the gazette.42 CYRANO Enough!

LE BRET A sheet close packed with various information! It is an idea, they say, likely to take firm root and flourish!

A POET [coming forward] Monsieur ...

CYRANO Another!

THE POET I am anxious to make a pentacrostic on your name.

SOMEBODY ELSE [likewise approaching [likewise approaching CYRANO] Monsieur ... CYRANO] Monsieur ...

CYRANO Enough, I say! [At the gesture of impatience which CYRANO cannot repress, the crowd draws away. DE GUICHE appears, escorted by officers; among them CUIGY, BRISSAILLE, those who followed CYRANO at the end of the first act. CUIGY hurries toward CYRANO.] [At the gesture of impatience which CYRANO cannot repress, the crowd draws away. DE GUICHE appears, escorted by officers; among them CUIGY, BRISSAILLE, those who followed CYRANO at the end of the first act. CUIGY hurries toward CYRANO.]

CUIGY [to CYRANO] Monsieur de Guiche! [ CYRANO] Monsieur de Guiche! [Murmurs. Every one draws back] He comes at the request of the Marshal de Gaussion.

DE GUICHE [bowing to CYRANO] Who wishes to express his admiration for your latest exploit, the fame of which has reached him. CYRANO] Who wishes to express his admiration for your latest exploit, the fame of which has reached him.

THE CROWD Bravo!

CYRANO [bowing] [bowing] The Marshal is qualified to judge of courage. The Marshal is qualified to judge of courage.

DE GUICHE He would scarcely have believed the report, had these gentlemen not been able to swear they had seen the deed performed.

CUIGY With our own eyes!

LE BRET [low to [low to CYRANO, CYRANO, who wears an abstracted air who wears an abstracted air] But ...

CYRANO Be silent!

LE BRET You appear to be suffering ...

CYRANO [starting, and straightening himsef] Before these people? ... [His moustache bristles; he expands his chest.] I ... suffering ? ... You shall see!

DE GUICHE [in whose ear [in whose ear CUIGY CUIGY has been whispering] has been whispering] But this is by no means the first gallant achievement marking your career. You serve in the madcap Gascon company, do you not? But this is by no means the first gallant achievement marking your career. You serve in the madcap Gascon company, do you not?

CYRANO In the cadets, yes.

ONE OF THE CADETS [in a great voice] [in a great voice] Among his countrymen! Among his countrymen!

DE GUICHE [considering the [considering the GASCONS, GASCONS, in line behind in line behind CYRANO] Ah, ha!-All these gentlemen then of the formidable aspect, are the famous ... CYRANO] Ah, ha!-All these gentlemen then of the formidable aspect, are the famous ...

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX Cyrano!

CYRANO Captain? ....

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX My company, I believe, is here in total. Be so obliging as to present it to the Count.

CYRANO [taking a step toward [taking a step toward DE GUICHE, DE GUICHE, and pointing at the and pointing at the CADETS]. CADETS].

They are the Gascony Cadets Of Carbon de Castel Jaloux; Famed fighters, liars, desperates, They are the Gascony Cadets!

All, better-born than pickpockets, Talk couchant, rampant, ... pendent, too!

They are the Gascony Cadets Of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux!

Cat-whiskered, eyed like falconets, Wolf-toothed and heron-legged, they hew The rabble down that snarls and threats ...

Cat-whiskered, eyed like falconets!

Great pomp of plume hides and offsets Holes in those hats they wear askew ...

Cat-whiskered, eyed like falconets, They drive the snarling mob, and hew!

The mildest of their sobriquets Are Crack-my-crown and Run-me-through, Mad drunk on glory Gascon gets!

These boasters of soft sobriquets Wherever rapier rapier whets Are met in punctual rendezvous ...

The mildest of their sobriquets Are Crack-my-crown and Run-me-through!

They are the Gascony Cadets That give the jealous spouse his due!

Lean forth, adorable coquettes, They are the Gascony Cadets, With plumes and scarfs and aigulets!

The husband gray may well look blue ...

They are the Gascony Cadets That give the jealous spouse his due!

DE GUICHE [nonchalantly seated in an armchair which RAGUENEAU RAGUENEAU has hurriedly brought for him has hurriedly brought for him] A gentleman provides himself today, by way of luxury, with a poet. May I look upon you as mine?