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CYRANO： Ay； with the Cadets。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
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 night Your fancy pleased my uncle Richelieu。
I'll gladly say a word to him for you。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
LE BRET （overjoyed）： Great Heavens！
DE GUICHE： I imagine you have rhymed Five 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 think That other hand should change a comma's dot。
DE GUICHE： But when a verse approves itself to him He pays
it dear； good friend。
CYRANO： He pays less dear Than I myself； when a verse
pleases me I 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
quay What strange bright…feathered game we caught！ The hats O'
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 them Back to
your friends。
DE GUICHE （rising； sharply）： My chair therequick！I go！ （To
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
Cyrano passionately）： As to you； sirrah！。 。 。
VOICE （in the street）： Porters for my lord De Guiche！
DE GUICHE （who has controlled himselfsmiling）： 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 windmillsit may
chance。 。 。
CYRANO： Tilt I 'gainst those who change with every breeze？
DE GUICHE： 。 。 。That windmill sails may sweep you with their
arm Downin the mire！。 。 。
CYRANO： Or upwardto 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。）
SCENE 2。VIII。
Cyrano； Le Bret； the cadets； who are eating and drinking at the tables
right and left。
CYRANO （bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to
salute him）： Gentlemen。 。 。Gentlemen。 。 。
LE BRET （coming back； despairingly）： Here's a fine coil！
CYRANO： Oh！ scold away！
LE BRET： At least； you will agree That to annihilate each
chance of Fate Exaggerates。 。 。
CYRANO： Yes！I exaggerate！
LE BRET （triumphantly）： Ah！
CYRANO： But for principleexample too； I think 'tis well
thus to exaggerate。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
LE BRET： Oh！ lay aside that pride of musketeer； Fortune and
glory wait you！。 。 。
CYRANO： Ay； and then？。 。 。 Seek a protector； choose a patron
out； And like the crawling ivy round a tree That licks the bark to
gain the trunk's support； Climb high by creeping ruse instead of force？
No； grammercy！ What！ I； like all the rest Dedicate verse to
bankers？play buffoon In cringing hope to see； at last； a smile Not
disapproving； on a patron's lips？ Grammercy； no！ What！ learn to
swallow toads？ With frame aweary climbing stairs？a skin Grown
grimed and horny；here； about the knees？ And； acrobat…like； teach my
back to bend？ No； grammercy！ Or；double…faced and sly Run
with the hare； while hunting with the hounds； And； oily…tongued； to win
the oil of praise； Flatter the great man to his very nose？ No；
grammercy！ Steal soft from lap to lap； A little great man in a circle
small； Or navigate； with madrigals for sails； Blown gently windward
by old ladies' sighs？ No； grammercy！ Bribe kindly editors To
spread abroad my verses？ Grammercy！ Or try to be elected as the
pope Of tavern…councils held by imbeciles？ No； grammercy！ Toil
to gain reputation By one small sonnet； 'stead of making many？ No；
grammercy！ Or flatter sorry bunglers？ Be terrorized by every prating
paper？ Say ceaselessly； 'Oh； had I but the chance Of a fair notice in
the 〃Mercury〃！' Grammercy； no！ Grow pale； fear； calculate？ Prefer
to make a visit to a rhyme？ Seek introductions； draw petitions up？
No； grammercy！ and no！ and no again！ Butsing？ Dream； laugh； go
lightly； solitary； free； With eyes that look straight forwardfearless
v