Act I: A Representation at the Hotel de BourgogneScene VII
Cyrano, Le Bret. Then actors, actresses, Cuigy, Brissaille, Lignière, the porter, the violinists.
Cyrano
Falling into Le Bret’s arms
A rendezvous…from her!…
Le Bret
You’re sad no more!
Cyrano
Ah! Let the world go burn! She knows I live!
Le Bret
Now you’ll be calm, I hope?
Cyrano
Beside himself for joy
Calm? I now calm?I’ll be frenetic, frantic,—raving mad!Oh, for an army to attack!—a host!I’ve ten hearts in my breast; a score of arms;No dwarfs to cleave in twain!…
Wildly
No! Giants now!
For a few moments the shadows of the actors have been moving on the stage, whispers are heard—the rehearsal is beginning. The violinists are in their places.
A Voice from the Stage
Hollo there! Silence! We rehearse!
Cyrano
Laughing
We go!
He moves away. By the big door enter Cuigy, Brissaille, and some officers, holding up Lignière, who is drunk.
Cuigy
Cyrano!
Cyrano
Well, what now?
Cuigy
A lusty thrushThey’re bringing you!
Cyrano
Recognizing him
Lignière!…What has chanced?
Cuigy
He seeks you!
Brissaille
He dare not go home!
Cyrano
Why not?
Lignière
In a husky voice, showing him a crumpled letter
This letter warns me…that a hundred men…Revenge that threatens me…that song, you know—At the Porte de Nesle. To get to my own houseI must pass there…I dare not!…Give me leaveTo sleep to-night beneath your roof! Allow…
Cyrano
A hundred men? You’ll sleep in your own bed!
Lignière
Frightened
But—
Cyrano
In a terrible voice, showing him the lighted lantern held by the porter, who is listening curiously
Take the lantern.
Lignière seizes it
Let us start! I swearThat I will make your bed to-night myself!
To the officers
Follow; some stay behind, as witnesses!
Cuigy
A hundred!…
Cyrano
Less, to-night—would be too few!
The actors and actresses, in their costumes, have come down from the stage, and are listening.
Le Bret
But why embroil yourself?
Cyrano
Le Bret who scolds!
Le Bret
That worthless drunkard!—
Cyrano
Slapping Lignière on the shoulder
Wherefore? For this cause;—This wine-barrel, this cask of Burgundy,Did, on a day, an action full of grace;As he was leaving church, he saw his loveTake holy water—he, who is affearedAt water’s taste, ran quickly to the stoup,And drank it all, to the last drop!…
An Actress
Indeed, that was a graceful thing!
Cyrano
Ay, was it not?
The Actress
To the others
But why a hundred men ’gainst one poor rhymer?
Cyrano
March!
To the officers
Gentlemen, when you shall see me charge,Bear me no succor, none, whate’er the odds!
Another Actress
Jumping from the stage
Oh! I shall come and see!
Cyrano
Come, then!
Another
Jumping down—to an old actor
And you?…
Cyrano
Come all—the Doctor, Isabel, Leander,Come, for you shall add, in a motley swarm,The farce Italian to this Spanish drama!
All the Women
Dancing for joy
Bravo!—a mantle, quick!—my hood!
Jodelet
Come on!
Cyrano
Play us a march, gentlemen of the band!
The violinists join the procession, which is forming. They take the footlights, and divide them for torches
Brave officers! next, women in costume,And, twenty paces on—
He takes his place
I all alone,Beneath the plume that Glory lends, herself,To deck my beaver—proud as Scipio!…—You hear me?—I forbid you succor me!—One, two three! Porter, open wide the doors!
The porter opens the doors; a view of old Paris in the moonlight is seen
Ah!…Paris wrapped in night! half nebulous:The moonlight streams o’er the blue-shadowed roofs;A lovely frame for this wild battle-scene;Beneath the vapor’s floating scarves, the SeineTrembles, mysterious, like a magic mirror,And, shortly, you shall see what you shall see!
All
To the Porte de Nesle!
Cyrano
Standing on the threshold
Ay, to the Porte de Nesle!
Turning to the actress
Did you not ask, young lady, for what causeAgainst this rhymer fivescore men were sent?
He draws his sword; then, calmly
’Twas that they knew him for a friend of mine!
He goes out. Lignière staggers first after him, then the actresses on the officers’ arms—the actors. The procession starts to the sound of the violins and in the faint light of the candles.
Curtain.