Act II: The Poet’s Eating-HouseScene VII
Cyrano, Ragueneau, poets, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, the cadets, a crowd, then De Guiche.
Ragueneau
Can we come in?
Cyrano
Without stirring
Yes…
Ragueneau signs to his friends, and they come in. At the same time, by door at back, enters Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, in Captain’s uniform. He makes gestures of surprise on seeing Cyrano.
Carbon
Here he is!
Cyrano
Raising his head
Captain!…
Carbon
Delightedly
Our hero! We heard all! Thirty or moreOf my cadets are there!…
Cyrano
Shrinking back
But…
Carbon
Trying to draw him away
Come with me!They will not rest until they see you!
Cyrano
No!
Carbon
They’re drinking opposite, at The Bear’s Head.
Cyrano
I…
Carbon
Going to the door and calling across the street in a voice of thunder
He won’t come! The hero’s in the sulks!
A Voice
Outside
Ah! Sandious!
Tumult outside. Noise of boots and swords is heard approaching.
Carbon
Rubbing his hands
They are running ‘cross the street!
Cadets
Entering
Mille dious! Capdedious! Pocapdedious!
Ragueneau
Drawing back startled
Gentlemen, are you all from Gascony?
The Cadets
All!
A Cadet
To Cyrano
Bravo!
Cyrano
Baron!
Another
Shaking his hands
Vivat!
Cyrano
Baron!
Third Cadet
Come!I must embrace you!
Cyrano
Baron!
Several Gascons
We’ll embraceHim, all in turn!
Cyrano
Not knowing whom to reply to
Baron!…Baron!…I beg…
Ragueneau
Are you all Barons, Sirs?
The Cadets
Ay, every one!
Ragueneau
Is it true?…
First Cadet
Ay—why, you could build a towerWith nothing but our coronets, my friend!
Le Bret
Entering, and running up to Cyrano
They’re looking for you! Here’s a crazy mobLed by the men who followed you last night…
Cyrano
Alarmed
What! Have you told them where to find me?
Le Bret
Rubbing his hands
Yes!
A Burgher
Entering, followed by a group of men
Sir, all the Marais is a-coming here!
Outside the street has filled with people. Chaises a porteurs and carriages have drawn up.
Le Bret
In a low voice, smiling, to Cyrano
And Roxane?
Cyrano
Quickly
Hush!
The Crowd
Calling outside
Cyrano!…
A crowd rush into the shop, pushing one another. Acclamations.
Ragueneau
Standing on a table
Lo! my shopInvaded! They break all! Magnificent!
People
Crowding round Cyrano
My friend!…my friend…
Cyrano:
Meseems that yesterdayI had not all these friends!
Le Bret
Delighted
Success!
A Young Marquis
Hurrying up with his hands held out
My friend,Didst thou but know…
Cyrano
Thou!…Marry!…thou!…Pray whenDid we herd swine together, you and I!
Another
I would present you, Sir, to some fair damesWho in my carriage yonder…
Cyrano
Coldly
Ah! and whoWill first present you, Sir, to me?
Le Bret
Astonished
What’s wrong?
Cyrano
Hush!
A Man of Letters
With writing-board
A few details?…
Cyrano
No.
Le Bret
Nudging his elbow
’Tis Theophrast,Renaudet,…of the ‘Court Gazette’!
Cyrano
Who cares?
Le Bret
This paper—but it is of great importance!…They say it will be an immense success!
A Poet
Advancing
Sir…
Cyrano
What, another!
The Poet
…Pray permit I makeA pentacrostic on your name…
Some One
Also advancing
Pray, Sir…
Cyrano
Enough! Enough!
A movement in the crowd. De Guiche appears, escorted by officers. Cuigy, Brissaille, the officers who went with Cyrano the night before. Cuigy comes rapidly up to Cyrano.
Cuigy
To Cyrano
Here is Monsieur de Guiche?
A murmur—every one makes way
He comes from the Marshal of Gassion!
De Guiche
Bowing to Cyrano
…Who would express his admiration, Sir,For your new exploit noised so loud abroad.
The Crowd
Bravo!
Cyrano
Bowing
The Marshal is a judge of valor.
De Guiche
He could not have believed the thing, unlessThese gentlemen had sworn they witnessed it.
Cuigy
With our own eyes!
Le Bret
Aside to Cyrano, who has an absent air
But…you…
Cyrano
Hush!
Le Bret
But…You suffer?
Cyrano
Starting
Before this rabble?—I?…
He draws himself up, twirls his mustache, and throws back his shoulders
Wait!…You shall see!
De Guiche
To whom Cuigy has spoken in a low voice
In feats of arms, already your careerAbounded.—You serve with those crazy patesOf Gascons?
Cyrano
Ay, with the Cadets.
A Cadet
In a terrible voice
With us!
De Guiche
Looking at the cadets, ranged behind Cyrano
Ah!…All these gentlemen of haughty mien,Are they the famous?…
Carbon
Cyrano!
Cyrano
Ay, Captain!
Carbon
Since all my company’s assembled here,Pray favor me,—present them to my lord!
Cyrano
Making two steps toward De Guiche
My Lord de Guiche, permit that I present—
Pointing to the cadets
The bold Cadets of Gascony,Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux!Brawling and swaggering boastfully,The bold Cadets of Gascony!Spouting of Armory, Heraldry,Their veins a-brimming with blood so blue,The bold Cadets of Gascony,Of Carbon of Castel-Jaloux:
Eagle-eye, and spindle-shanks,Fierce mustache, and wolfish tooth!Slash-the-rabble and scatter-their-ranks;Eagle-eye and spindle-shanks,With a flaming feather that gayly pranks,Hiding the holes in their hats, forsooth!Eagle-eye and spindle-shanks,Fierce mustache, and wolfish tooth!
‘Pink-your-Doublet’ and ‘Slit-your-Trunk’Are their gentlest sobriquets;With Fame and Glory their soul is drunk!‘Pink-your-Doublet’ and ‘Slit-your-Trunk,’In brawl and skirmish they show their spunk,Give rendezvous in broil and fray;‘Pink-your-Doublet’ and ‘Slit-your-Trunk’Are their gentlest sobriquets!
What, ho! Cadets of Gascony!All jealous lovers are sport for you!O Woman! dear divinity!What, ho! Cadets of Gascony!Whom scowling husbands quake to see.Blow, ‘taratara,’ and cry ‘Cuckoo.’What, ho! Cadets of Gascony!Husbands and lovers are game for you!
De Guiche
Seated with haughty carelessness in an armchair brought quickly by Ragueneau
A poet! ’Tis the fashion of the hour!—Will you be mine?
Cyrano
No, Sir,—no man’s!
De Guiche
Last nightYour fancy pleased my uncle Richelieu.I’ll gladly say a word to him for you.
Le Bret
Overjoyed
Great Heavens!
De Guiche
I imagine you have rhymedFive acts, or so?
Le Bret
In Cyrano’s ear
Your play!—your ‘Agrippine!’You’ll see it staged at last!
De Guiche
Take them to him.
Cyrano
Beginning to be tempted and attracted
In sooth,—I would…
De Guiche
He is a critic skilled:He may correct a line or two, at most.
Cyrano
Whose face stiffens at once
Impossible! My blood congeals to thinkThat other hand should change a comma’s dot.
De Guiche
But when a verse approves itself to himHe pays it dear, good friend.
Cyrano
He pays less dearThan I myself; when a verse pleases meI pay myself, and sing it to myself!
De Guiche
You are proud.
Cyrano
Really? You have noticed that?
A Cadet
Entering, with a string of old battered plumed beaver hats, full of holes, slung on his sword
See, Cyrano,—this morning, on the quayWhat strange bright-feathered game we caught!The hatsO’ the fugitives…
Carbon
‘Spolia opima!’
All
Laughing
Ah! ah! ah!
Cuigy
He who laid that ambush, ‘faith!Must curse and swear!
Brissaille
Who was it?
De Guiche
I myself.
The laughter stops
I charged them—work too dirty for my sword,To punish and chastise a rhymster sot.
Constrained silence.
The Cadet
In a low voice, to Cyrano, showing him the beavers
What do with them? They’re full of grease!—a stew?
Cyrano
Taking the sword and, with a salute, dropping the hats at De Guiche’s feet
Sir, pray be good enough to render themBack to your friends.
De Guiche
Rising, sharply
My chair there—quick!—I go!
To Cyrano passionately
As to you, sirrah!…
Voice
In the street
Porters for my lord De Guiche!
De Guiche
Who has controlled himself—smiling
Have you read ‘Don Quixote’?
Cyrano
I have!And doff my hat at th’ mad knight-errant’s name.
De Guiche
I counsel you to study…
A Porter
Appearing at back
My lord’s chair!
De Guiche
…The windmill chapter!
Cyrano
Bowing
Chapter the Thirteenth.
De Guiche
For when one tilts ’gainst windmills—it may chance…
Cyrano
Tilt I ’gainst those who change with every breeze?
De Guiche
…That windmill sails may sweep you with their armDown—in the mire!…
Cyrano
Or upward—to the stars!
De Guiche goes out, and mounts into his chair. The other lords go away whispering together. Le Bret goes to the door with them. The crowd disperses.