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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