to quick accord ...
At the last line, I hit!
You falter, you turn whiter?
You do so to afford
Your foe a rhyme in “iter”? ...
You thrust at me—I ward—
And balance is restored.
Laridon!21 Look to your spit! ...
No, you shall not be floored
Before my cue to hit!
[He announces solemnly.J
ENVOI
Prince, call upon the Lord! ...
I skirmish ... feint a bit ...
I lunge! ... I keep my word!
[The VICOMTE staggers; CYRANO bows.]
At the last line, I hit!
[Acclamations. Applause from the boxes. Flowers and handkerchiefs are thrown. The OFFICERS surround and congratulate CYRANO. RAGUENEAU dances with delight. LE BRET is tearfully joyous and at the same time highly troubled. The friends of the VICOMTE support him off the stage.]
THE CROWD [in a long shout] Ah! ...
A LIGHT-CAVALRY MAN Superb!
A WOMAN Sweet!
RAGUENEAU Astounding!
A MARQUIS Novel!
LE BRET Insensate!
THE CROWD [pressing around CYRANO] Congratulations! ... Well done! ... Bravo! ...
A WOMAN’ S VOICE He is a hero!
A MOUSQUETAIRE [striding swiftly toward CYRANO, with outstretched hand] Monsieur, will you allow me? It was quite, quite excellently done, and I think I know whereof I speak. But, as a fact, I expressed my mind before, by making a huge noise.... [He retires. ]
CYRANO [to CUIGY] Who may the gentleman be?
CUIGY D’Artagnan.22
LE BRET [to CYRANO, taking his arm] Come, I wish to talk with you.
CYRANO Wait till the crowd has thinned. [To BELLEROSE]. I may remain?
BELLEROSE [deferentially] Why, certainly! ... [Shouts are heard outside. J
JODELET [after looking] They are hooting Montfleury. BELLEROSE [solemnly] Sic transit!23 ... [In a different tone, to the doorkeeper and the candle snuffer.] Sweep and close. Leave the lights. We shall come back, after eating, to rehearse a new farce for to-morrow. [Exeunt JODELET and BELLEROSE, after bowing very low to CYRANO.]
THE DOORKEEPER [to CYRANO] Monsieur will not be going to dinner?
CYRANO I? ... No.
[The doorkeeper withdraws.]
LE BRET [to CYRANO] And this, because? ...
CYRANO [proudly] Because ... [in a different tone, having seen that the doorkeeper is too far to overhear] I have not a penny!
LE BRET [making the motion of flinging a bag] How is this? The bag of crowns....
CYRANO Monthly remittance, thou lastedst but a day!
LE BRET And to keep you the remainder of the month? ... CYRANO Nothing is left!
LE BRET But then, flinging that bag, what a child’s prank!
CYRANO But what a gesture! ...
THE SWEETMEAT VENDER [coughing behind her little counter] Hm! ... [CYRANO and LE BRET turn toward her. She comes timidly forward.] ] Monsieur, to know you have not eaten ... makes my heart ache. [Pointing to the sweetmeat-stand. I have there all that is needed.... (impulsively] Help yourself!
CYRANO [taking off his hat] Dear child, despite my Gascon pride, which forbids that I should profit at your hand by the most inconsiderable of dainties, I fear too much lest a denial should grieve you: I will accept therefore ... [He goes to the stand and selects] Oh, a trifle! ... A grape off this ... [She proffers the bunch, he takes a single grape.] No ... one! This glass of water ... [She starts to pour wine into it, he stops her.] No ... clear! And half a macaroon. [He breaks in two the macaroon, and returns half.]
LE BRET This comes near being silly!
SWEETMEAT VENDER Oh, you will take something more! ...
CYRANO Yes. Your hand to kiss. [He kisses the hand she holds out to him, as if it were that of a princess. ]
SWEETMEAT VENDER Monsieur, I thank you. [Curtseys.] Good evening! (Exit.]
SCENE V
Cyrano, Le Bret, then the Doorkeeper
CYRANO [to LE BRET ] I am listening. [He establishes himself before the stand, sets the macaroon before him,] Dinner! [does the same with the glass of water], Drink! [and with the grape] Dessert! [He sits down.] La! let me begin! I was as hungry as a wolf! [Eating.]You were saying?
LE BRET That if you listen to none but those great boobies and swashbucklers your judgment will become wholly perverted. Inquire, will you, of the sensible, concerning the effect produced to-day by your prowesses.
CYRANO [finishing his macaroon] Enormous!
LE BRET The cardinal ...
CYRANO [beaming] He was there, the cardinal?
LE BRET Must have found what you did....
CYRANO To a degree, original.
LE BRET Still ...
CYRANO He is a poet. It cannot be distasteful to him wholly that one should deal confusion to a fellow-poet’s play.
LE BRET But, seriously, you make too many enemies!
CYRANO [biting into the grape] How many, thereabouts, should you think I made to-night?
LE BRET Eight and forty. Not mentioning the women. CYRANO Come, tell them over!
LE BRET Montfleury, the old merchant, De Guiche,