Act II: The Poet’s Eating-HouseScene IX
Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, Christian de Neuvillette.
A Cadet
Seated at a table, glass in hand
Cyrano!
Cyrano turns round
The story!
Cyrano
In its time!
He goes up on Le Bret’s arm. They talk in low voices.
The Cadet
Rising and coming down
The story of the fray! ’Twill lesson well
He stops before the table where Christian is seated
This timid young apprentice!
Christian
Raising his head
‘Prentice! Who?
Another Cadet
This sickly Northern greenhorn!
Christian
Sickly!
First Cadet
Mockingly
Hark!Monsieur de Neuvillette, this in your ear:There’s somewhat here, one no more dares to name,Than to say ‘rope’ to one whose sire was hanged!
Christian
What may that be?
Another Cadet
In a terrible voice
See here!
He puts his finger three times, mysteriously, on his nose
Do you understand?
Christian
Oh! ’tis the…
Another
Hush! oh, never breathe that word,Unless you’d reckon with him yonder!
He points to Cyrano, who is talking with Le Bret.
Another
Who has meanwhile come up noiselessly to sit on the table—whispering behind him
Hark!He put two snuffling men to death, in rage,For the sole reason they spoke through their nose!
Another
In a hollow voice, darting on all-fours from under the table, where he had crept
And if you would not perish in flower o’ youth,—Oh, mention not the fatal cartilage!
Another
Clapping him on the shoulder
A word? A gesture! For the indiscreetHis handkerchief may prove his winding-sheet!
Silence. All, with crossed arms, look at Christian. He rises and goes over to Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, who is talking to an officer, and feigns to see nothing.
Christian
Captain!
Carbon
Turning and looking at him from head to foot
Sir!
Christian
Pray, what skills it best to doTo Southerners who swagger?…
Carbon
Give them proofThat one may be a Northerner, yet brave!
He turns his back on him.
Christian
I thank you.
First Cadet
To Cyrano
Now the tale!
All
The tale!
Cyrano
Coming toward them
The tale?…
All bring their stools up, and group round him, listening eagerly. Christian is astride a chair
Well! I went all alone to meet the band.The moon was shining, clock-like, full i’ th’ sky,When, suddenly, some careful clockwright passedA cloud of cotton-wool across the caseThat held this silver watch. And, presto! heigh!The night was inky black, and all the quaysWere hidden in the murky dark. Gadsooks!One could see nothing further…
Christian
Than one’s nose!
Silence. All slowly rise, looking in terror at Cyrano, who has stopped—dumfounded. Pause.
Cyrano
Who on God’s earth is that?
A Cadet
Whispering
It is a manWho joined to-day.
Cyrano
Making a step toward Christian
To-day?
Carbon
In a low voice
Yes…his name isThe Baron de Neuvil…
Cyrano
Checking himself
Good! It is well…
He turns pale, flushes, makes as if to fall on Christian
I…
He controls himself
What said I?…
With a burst of rage
MORDIOUS!…
Then continues calmly
That it was dark.
Astonishment. The cadets reseat themselves, staring at him
On I went, thinking, ‘For a knavish causeI may provoke some great man, some great prince,Who certainly could break’…
Christian
My nose!…
Every one starts up. Christian balances on his chair.
Cyrano
In a choked voice
…’My teeth!Who would break my teeth, and I, imprudent-like,Was poking…’
Christian
My nose!…
Cyrano
‘My finger,…in the crackBetween the tree and bark! He may prove strongAnd rap me…’
Christian
Over the nose…
Cyrano
Wiping his forehead
…’O’ th’ knuckles! Ay,’But I cried, ‘Forward, Gascon! Duty calls!On, Cyrano!’ And thus I ventured on…When, from the shadow, came…
Christian
A crack o’ th’ nose.
Cyrano
I parry it—find myself…
Christian
Nose to nose…
Cyrano
Bounding on to him
Heaven and earth!
All the Gascons leap up to see, but when he is close to Christian he controls himself and continues
…With a hundred brawling sots,Who stank…
Christian
A noseful…
Cyrano
White, but smiling
Onions, brandy-cups!I leapt out, head well down…
Christian
Nosing the wind!
Cyrano
I charge!—gore two, impale one—run him through,One aims at me—Paf! and I parry…
Christian
Pif!
Cyrano
Bursting out
Great God! Out! all of you!
The cadets rush to the doors.
First Cadet
The tiger wakes!
Cyrano
Every man, out! Leave me alone with him!
Second Cadet
We shall find him minced fine, minced into hashIn a big pasty!
Ragueneau
I am turning pale,And curl up, like a napkin, limp and white!
Carbon
Let us be gone.
Another
He will not leave a crumb!
Another
I die of fright to think what will pass here!
Another
Shutting door right
Something too horrible!
All have gone out by different doors, some by the staircase. Cyrano and Christian are face to face, looking at each other for a moment.