按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
CYRANO： What hour is it now； Ragueneau？
RAGUENEAU （stopping short in the act of thrusting to look at the
clock）： Five minutes after six！。 。 。'I touch！' （He straightens
himself）： 。 。 。Oh！ to write a ballade！
LISE （to Cyrano； who； as he passes by the counter； has absently
shaken hands with her）： What's wrong with your hand？
CYRANO： Naught； a slight cut。
RAGUENEAU： Have you been in some danger？
CYRANO： None in the world。
LISE （shaking her finger at him）： Methinks you speak not the truth
in saying that！
CYRANO： Did you see my nose quiver when I spoke？ 'Faith； it
must have been a monstrous lie that should move it！ （Changing his tone）：
I wait some one here。 Leave us alone； and disturb us for naught an it
were not for crack of doom！
RAGUENEAU： But 'tis impossible； my poets are coming。 。 。
LISE （ironically）： Oh； ay； for their first meal o' the day！
CYRANO： Prythee； take them aside when I shall make you sign to
do so。 。 。What's o'clock？
RAGUENEAU： Ten minutes after six。
CYRANO （nervously seating himself at Ragueneau's table； and
drawing some paper toward him）： A pen！。 。 。
39
… Page 40…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
RAGUENEAU （giving him the one from behind his ear）： Herea
swan's quill。
A MUSKETEER （with fierce mustache； enters； and in a stentorian
voice）： Good…day！
（Lise goes up to him quickly。）
CYRANO （turning round）： Who's that？
RAGUENEAU： 'Tis a friend of my wifea terrible warriorat least
so says he himself。
CYRANO （taking up the pen； and motioning Ragueneau away）：
Hush！ （To himself）： I will write； fold it； give it her； and fly！ （Throws
down the pen）： Coward！。 。 。But strike me dead if I dare to speak to
her；。 。 。ay； even one single word！ （To Ragueneau）： What time is it？
RAGUENEAU： A quarter after six！。 。 。
CYRANO （striking his breast）： Aya single word of all those here！
here！ But writing； 'tis easier done。 。 。 （He takes up the pen）： Go to； I
will write it； that love…letter！ Oh！ I have writ it and rewrit it in my own
mind so oft that it lies there ready for pen and ink； and if I lay but my soul
by my letter…sheet； 'tis naught to do but to copy from it。
（He writes。 Through the glass of the door the silhouettes of their
figures move uncertainly and hesitatingly。）
SCENE 2。IV。
Ragueneau； Lise； the musketeer。 Cyrano at the little table writing。
The poets； dressed in black； their stockings ungartered； and covered with
mud。
LISE （entering； to Ragueneau）： Here they come； your mud…
bespattered friends！
FIRST POET （entering； to Ragueneau）： Brother in art！。 。 。
SECOND POET （to Ragueneau； shaking his hands）： Dear brother！
THIRD POET： High soaring eagle among pastry…cooks！ （He sniffs）：
Marry！ it smells good here in your eyrie！
FOURTH POET： 'Tis at Phoebus' own rays that thy roasts turn！
FIFTH POET： Apollo among master…cooks
40
… Page 41…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
RAGUENEAU （whom they surround and embrace）： Ah！ how quick
a man feels at his ease with them！。 。 。
FIRST POET： We were stayed by the mob； they are crowded all
round the Porte de Nesle！。 。 。
SECOND POET： Eight bleeding brigand carcasses strew the
pavements thereall slit open with sword…gashes！
CYRANO （raising his head a minute）： Eight？。 。 。hold； methought
seven。
（He goes on writing。）
RAGUENEAU （to Cyrano）： Know you who might be the hero of
the fray？
CYRANO （carelessly）： Not I。
LISE （to the musketeer）： And you？ Know you？
THE MUSKETEER （twirling his mustache）： Maybe！
CYRANO （writing a little way off：he is heard murmuring a word
from time to time）： 'I love thee！'
FIRST POET： 'Twas one man； say they all； ay； swear to it； one man
who； single…handed； put the whole band to the rout！
SECOND POET： 'Twas a strange sight！pikes and cudgels strewed
thick upon the ground。
CYRANO （writing）： 。 。 。'Thine eyes'。 。 。
THIRD POET： And they were picking up hats all the way to the
Quai d'Orfevres！
FIRST POET： Sapristi！ but he must have been a ferocious。 。 。
CYRANO （same play）： 。 。 。'Thy lips'。 。 。
FIRST POET： 'Twas a parlous fearsome giant that was the author of
such exploits！
CYRANO （same play）： 。 。 。'And when I see thee come； I faint for
fear。'
SECOND POET （filching a cake）： What hast rhymed of late；
Ragueneau？
CYRANO （same play）： 。 。 。'Who worships thee'。 。 。 （He stops； just
as he is about to sign； and gets up； slipping the letter into his doublet）：
No need I sign； since I give it her myself。
41
… Page 42…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
RAGUENEAU （to second poet）： I have put a recipe into verse。
THIRD POET （seating himself by a plate of cream…puffs）： Go to！
Let us hear these verses！
FOURTH POET （looking at a cake which he has taken）： Its cap is
all a' one side！
（He makes one bite of the top。）
FIRST POET： See how this gingerbread woos the famished rhymer
with its almond eyes； and its eyebrows of angelica！
（He takes it。）
SECOND POET： We listen。
THIRD POET （squeezing a cream…puff gently）： How it laughs！
Till its very cream runs over！
SECOND POET （biting a bit off the great lyre of pastry）： This is
the first time in my life that ever I drew any means of nourishing me from
the lyre！
RAGUENEAU （who has put himself ready for reciting； cleared his
throat； settled his cap； struck an attitude）： A recipe in verse！。 。 。
SECOND POET （to first； nudging him）： You are breakfasting？
FIRST POET （to second）： And you dining； methinks。
RAGUENEAU： How almond tartlets are made。
Beat your eggs up； light and quick； Froth them thick；
Mingle with them while you beat Juice of lemon； essence fine；
Then combine The burst milk of almonds sweet。
Circle with a custard paste The slim waist Of your tartlet…
molds； the top With a skillful finger print； Nick and dint；
Round their edge； then； drop by drop； In its little dainty bed Your
cream shed： In the oven place each mold： Reappearing； softly
browned； The renowned Almond tartlets you behold！
THE POETS （with mouths crammed full）： Exquisite！ Delicious！
A POET （choking）： Homph！
（They go up； eating。）
CYRANO （who has been watching； goes toward Ragueneau）：
Lulled by your voice； did you see how they were stuffing themselves？
RAGUENEAU （in a low voice； smiling）： Oh； ay！ I see well
42
… Page 43…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
enough； but I never will seem to look； fearing to distress them； thus I gain
a double pleasure when I recite to them my poems； for I leave those poor
fellows who have not breakfasted free to eat； even while I gratify my own
dearest foible； see you？
CYRANO （clapping him on the shoulder）： Friend； I like you right
well！。 。 。 （Ragueneau goes after his friends。 Cyrano follows him with his
eyes； then； rather sharply）： Ho there！ Lise！ （Lise； who is talking
tenderly to the musketeer； starts； and comes down toward Cyrano）： So
this fine captain is laying siege to you？
LISE （offended）： One haughty glance of my eye can conquer any
man that should dare venture