head of the steps, to a nun who comes toward her] What is it?

THE NUN Ragueneau begs to see you, Madame.

ROXANE Let him come in. [To DE GUICHE and LE BRET.] He comes to plead distress. Having determined one day to be an author, he became in turn precentor ... 69

LE BRET Bath-house keeper ...

ROXANE Actor ...

LE BRET Beadle ...

ROXANE Barber ...

LE BRET Arch-lute teacher ...

ROXANE I wonder what he is now!

RAGUENEAU [entering precipitately] Ah, Madame! [He sees LE BRET.] Monsieur!

ROXANE [smiling] Begin telling your misfortunes to Le Bret. I am coming back.

RAGUENEAU But, Madame ... [ROXANE leaves without listening, with the DUKE. RAGUENEAU goes to LE BRET]

SCENE III

Le Bret, Ragueneau

RAGUENEAU It is better so. Since you are here, I had liefer not tell her! Less than half an hour ago, I was going to see your friend. I was not thirty feet from his door, when I saw him come out. I hurried to catch up with him. He was about to turn the corner. I started to run, when from a window below which he was passing—was it pure mischance? It may have been!—a lackey drops a block of wood ...

LE BRET Ah, the cowards! ... Cyrano!

RAGUENEAU I reach the spot, and find him ...

LE BRET Horrible!

RAGUENEAU Our friend, Monsieur, our poet, stretched upon the ground, with a great hole in his head!

LE BRET He is dead?

RAGUENEAU No, but ... God have mercy! I carried him to his lodging ... Ah, his lodging! You should see that lodging of his! LE BRET Is he in pain?

RAGUENEAU No, Monsieur, he is unconscious.

LE BRET Has a doctor seen him?

RAGUENEAU One came ... out of good nature.

LE BRET My poor, poor Cyrano! ... We must not tell Roxane outright. And the doctor?

RAGUENEAU He talked ... I hardly grasped ... of fever ... cerebral inflammation! Ah, if you should see him, with his head done up in cloths! ... Let us hurry ... No one is there to tend him ... And he might die if he attempted to get up!

LE BRET [dragging RAGUENEAU off at the right] This way. Come, it is shorter through the chapel.

ROXANE [appearing at the head of the steps, catching sight of LE BRET hurrying off through the colonnade which leads to the chapel side-door] Monsieur Le Bret! [LE BRET and RAGUENEAU make their escape without answering.] Le Bret not turning back when he is called? ... Poor Ragueneau must be in some new trouble! [She comes down the steps.]

SCENE IV

Roxane, alone, then briefly two Sisters

ROXANE How beautiful ... how beautiful, this golden-hazy waning day of September at its wane! My sorrowful mood, which the exuberant gladness of April offends, Autumn, the dreamy and subdued, lures on to smile ... [She sits down at her embroidery frame. Two NUNS come from the house bringing a large armchair which they place under the tree.] Ah, here comes the classic armchair in which my old friend always sits!

SISTER MARTHA The best in the convent parlor!

ROXANE I thank you, sister. [The nuns withdraw.] He will be here in a moment. [She adjusts the embroidery frame before her.] There! The clock is striking ... My wools! ... The clock has struck? ... I wonder at this! ... Is it possible that for the first time he is late? ... It must be that the sister who keeps the door ... my thimble? ah, here it is! ... is detaining him to exhort him to repentance ... [A pause.] She exhorts him at some length! ... He cannot be much longer ... A withered leaf! [She brushes away the dead leaf which has dropped on the embroidery.] Surely nothing could keep ... My scissors? ... in my workbag! ... could keep him from coming!

A NUN [appearing at the head of the steps] Monsieur de Bergerac!

SCENE V

Roxane, Cyrano, briefly Sister Martha

ROXANE [without turning round] What was I saying? ... [She begins to embroider. CYRANO appears, exceedingly pale, his hat drawn down over his eyes. The NUN who has shown him into the garden, withdraws. He comes down the steps very slowly, with evident difficulty to keep on his feet, leaning heavily on his cane. ROXANE proceeds with her sewing.] Ah, these dull soft shades! ... How shall I match them? [To CYRANO, in a tone of friendly chiding.] After fourteen years, for the first time you are late!

CYRANO [who has reached the armchair and seated himself, in a jolly voice which contrasts with his face.] Yes, it seems incredible! I am savage at