your little baron.
ROXANE Ah, you will ... you will protect him for me? ... I have always felt for you the tenderest regard!
CYRANO Yes, yes.
ROXANE You will be his friend?
CYRANO I will!
ROXANE And never shall he have to fight a duel?
CYRANO I swear it.
ROXANE Oh, I quite love you! ... Now I must go. [She hurriedly resumes her mask, throws a veil over her head; says absentmindedly] But you have not yet told me about last night’s encounter. It must have been amazing! ... Tell him to write to me. [She kisses her hand to him.] I love you dearly!
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] 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] 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.]
CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOLIX He is here!
CYRANO [looking up] Captain!
CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [exultant] Hero! We know all! ... About thirty of my cadets are out there! ...
CYRANO [drawing back] But ...
CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [trying to lead him Off] 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] The hero refuses. He is not in the humor!
A VOICE [outside] Ah, sandious! ... 40 [Tumult outside, noise of clanking swords and of boots drawing nearer.]
CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX [rubbing his hands] Here they come, across the street....
THE CADETS [entering the cookshop] Mille diousl .... Capdediousl ... Mordious! ... Pocapdediousl ...
RAGUENEAU [backing in alarm] Messieurs, are you all natives of Gascony?
THE CADETS All!
ONE OF THE CADETS [to CYRANO] Bravo!
CYRANO Baron!
OTHER CADET [shaking both CYRANO’s hands] 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] 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 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] I did.
A BURGHER [entering,followed by a number of others] Monsieur, the Marais41 is coming in a body! [The street outside has filled with people. Sedan-chairs, coaches stop before the door.]
LE BRET [smiling, low to CYRANO] And Roxane?
CYRANO [quickly] Be quiet!
THE CROWD [outside.] Cyrano! [A rabble bursts into the cookshop. Confusion. Shouting.]
RAGUENEAU [standing upon a table] My shop is invaded! They are breaking everything! It is glorious!
PEOPLE [pressing round CYRANO] My friend ... my friend....
CYRANO I had not so many friends ... yesterday!
LE BRET This is success!
A YOUNG MARQUIS [running toward CYRANO, with outstretched hands] 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] Will you kindly favor me with the details of ...
CYRANO No.
LE BRET [nudging him] 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 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.]
CUIGY [to CYRANO] Monsieur de