Act III: Roxane’s KissScene X
Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau.
The Friar
’Tis here,—I’m sure of it—Madame Madeleine Robin.
Cyrano
Why, you said Ro-LIN.
The Friar
No, not I.B,I,N,BIN!
Roxane
Appearing on the threshold, followed by Ragueneau, who carries a lantern, and Christian
What is’t?
The Friar
A letter.
Christian
What?
The Friar
To Roxane
Oh, it can boot but a holy business!’Tis from a worthy lord…
Roxane
To Christian
De Guiche!
Christian
He dares…
Roxane
Oh, he will not importune me forever!
Unsealing the letter
I love you,—therefore—
She reads in a low voice by the aid of Ragueneau’s lantern
‘Lady,The drums beat;My regiment buckles its harness onAnd starts; but I,—they deem me gone before—But I stay. I have dared to disobeyYour mandate. I am here in convent walls.I come to you to-night. By this poor monk—A simple fool who knows not what he bears—I send this missive to apprise your ear.Your lips erewhile have smiled on me, too sweet:I go not ere I’ve seen them once again!I would be private; send each soul away,Receive alone him,—whose great boldness youHave deigned, I hope, to pardon, ere he asks,—He who is ever your—et cetera.’
To the monk
Father, this is the matter of the letter:—
All come near her, and she reads aloud
‘Lady,The Cardinal’s wish is law; albeitIt be to you unwelcome. For this causeI send these lines—to your fair ear addressed—By a holy man, discreet, intelligent:It is our will that you receive from him,In your own house, the marriage
She turns the page
benedictionStraightway, this night. Unknown to all the worldChristian becomes your husband. Him we send.He is abhorrent to your choice. Let be.Resign yourself, and this obedienceWill be by Heaven well recompensed. Receive,Fair lady, all assurance of respect,From him who ever was, and still remains,Your humble and obliged—et cetera.’
The Friar
With great delight
O worthy lord! I knew naught was to fear;It could be but holy business!
Roxane
To Christian, in a low voice
Am I not apt at reading letters?
Christian
Hum!
Roxane
Aloud, with despair
But this is horrible!
The Friar
Who has turned his lantern on Cyrano
’Tis you?
Christian
’Tis I!
The Friar
Turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing his beauty
But…
Roxane
Quickly
I have overlooked the postscript—see:—‘Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.’
The Friar
…Oh!Most worthy lord!
To Roxane
Submit you?
Roxane
With a martyr’s look
I submit!
While Ragueneau opens the door, and Christian invites the friar to enter, she whispers to Cyrano
Oh, keep De Guiche at bay! He will be here!Let him not enter till…
Cyrano
I understand!
To the friar
What time need you to tie the marriage-knot?
The Friar
A quarter of an hour.
Cyrano
Pushing them all toward the house
Go! I stay.
Roxane
To Christian
Come!…
They enter.
Cyrano
Now, how to detain De Guiche so long?
He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall
Come!…up I go!…I have my plan!…
The lutes begin to play a very sad air
What, ho!
The tremolo grows more and more weird
It is a man! ay! ’tis a man this time!
He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps himself in his cloak, then leans over
’Tis not too high!
He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the trees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to let himself fall
I’ll shake this atmosphere!