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lightly; solitary; free; With eyes that look straight forwardfearless
voice! To cock your beaver just the way you choose; For 'yes' or
'no' show fight; or turn a rhyme! To work without one thought of gain
or fame; To realize that journey to the moon! Never to pen a line
that has not sprung Straight from the heart within。 Embracing then
Modesty; say to oneself; 'Good my friend; Be thou content with
flowers;fruit;nay; leaves; But pluck them from no garden but thine
own!' And then; if glory come by chance your way; To pay no
tribute unto Caesar; none; But keep the merit all your own! In short;
Disdaining tendrils of the parasite; To be content; if neither oak nor
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elm Not to mount high; perchance; but mount alone!
LE BRET: Alone; an if you will! But not with hand 'Gainst
every man! How in the devil's name Have you conceived this lunatic
idea; To make foes for yourself at every turn?
CYRANO: By dint of seeing you at every turn Make friends;
and fawn upon your frequent friends With mouth wide smiling; slit
from ear to ear! I pass; still unsaluted; joyfully; And cry;What; ho!
another enemy?
LE BRET: Lunacy!
CYRANO: Well; what if it be my vice; My pleasure to
displeaseto love men hate me! Ah; friend of mine; believe me; I
march better 'Neath the cross…fire of glances inimical! How droll the
stains one sees on fine…laced doublets; From gall of envy; or the
poltroon's drivel! The enervating friendship which enfolds you Is
like an open…laced Italian collar; Floating around your neck in woman's
fashion; One is at ease thus;but less proud the carriage! The
forehead; free from mainstay or coercion; Bends here; there;
everywhere。 But I; embracing Hatred; she lends;forbidding; stiffly
fluted; The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid; Each
enemyanother folda gopher; Who adds constraint; and adds a ray of
glory; For Hatred; like the ruff worn by the Spanish; Grips like a
vice; but frames you like a halo!
LE BRET (after a silence; taking his arm): Speak proud aloud; and
bitter!In my ear Whisper me simply this;She loves thee not!
CYRANO (vehemently): Hush!
(Christian has just entered; and mingled with the cadets; who do not
speak to him; he has seated himself at a table; where Lise serves him。)
SCENE 2。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!
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
(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
tablewhispering 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 indiscreet His 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 do To Southerners who
swagger?。 。 。
CARBON: Give them proof That one may be a Northerner; yet
brave!
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
(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 passed A cloud of cotton…wool across the case That held
this silver watch。 And; presto! heigh! The night was inky black; and
all the quays Were 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 man Who joined to…day。
CYRANO (making a step toward Christian): To…day?
CARBON (in a low voice): Yes。 。 。his name is The 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 cause
I 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 crack Between the tree and bark!
He may prove strong And rap me。 。 。'
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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 itfind 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
sta