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overhung with thick foliage。 Window and balcony over the door。 A
bench in front。
From the bench and the stones jutting out of the wall it is easy to climb
to the balcony。 In front of an old house in the same style of brick and
stone。 The knocker of this door is bandaged with linen like a sore thumb。
At the rising of the curtain the duenna is seated on the bench。
The window on Roxane's balcony is wide open。
Ragueneau is standing near the door in a sort of livery。 He has just
finished relating something to the duenna； and is wiping his eyes。
SCENE 3。I。
Ragueneau； the duenna。 Then Roxane； Cyrano； and two pages。
RAGUENEAU： And then； off she went； with a musketeer！
Deserted and ruined too； I would make an end of all； and so hanged myself。
My last breath was drawn： then in comes Monsieur de Bergerac！ He
cuts me down； and begs his cousin to take me for her steward。
THE DUENNA： Well； but how came it about that you were thus
ruined？
RAGUENEAU： Oh！ Lise loved the warriors； and I loved the
poets！ What cakes there were that Apollo chanced to leave were quickly
snapped up by Mars。 Thus ruin was not long a…coming。
THE DUENNA （rising； and calling up to the open window）：
Roxane； are you ready？ They wait for us！
ROXANE'S VOICE （from the window）： I will but put me on a
cloak！
THE DUENNA （to Ragueneau； showing him the door opposite）：
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
They wait us there opposite； at Clomire's house。 She receives them all
there to…daythe precieuses； the poets； they read a discourse on the Tender
Passion。
RAGUENEAU： The Tender Passion？
THE DUENNA （in a mincing voice）： Ay； indeed！ （Calling up to the
window）： Roxane； an you come not down quickly； we shall miss the
discourse on the Tender Passion！
ROXANE'S VOICE： I come！ I come！
（A sound of stringed instruments approaching。）
CYRANO'S VOICE （behind the scenes； singing）： La； la； la； la！
THE DUENNA （surprised）： They serenade us？
CYRANO （followed by two pages with arch…lutes）： I tell you they
are demi…semi…quavers； demi…semi…fool！
FIRST PAGE （ironically）： You know then； Sir； to distinguish
between semi…quavers and demi…semi… quavers？
CYRANO： Is not every disciple of Gassendi a musician？
THE PAGE （playing and singing）： La； la！
CYRANO （snatching the lute from him； and going on with the phrase）：
In proof of which； I can continue！ La； la； la； la！
ROXANE （appearing on the balcony）： What？ 'Tis you？
CYRANO （going on with the air； and singing to it）： 'Tis I； who
come to serenade your lilies； and pay my devoir to your ro…o… oses！
ROXANE： I am coming down！
（She leaves the balcony。）
THE DUENNA （pointing to the pages）： How come these two
virtuosi here？
CYRANO： 'Tis for a wager I won of D'Assoucy。 We were
disputing a nice point in grammar； contradictions raged hotly''Tis so！'
'Nay； 'tis so！' when suddenly he shows me these two long…shanks； whom
he takes about with him as an escort； and who are skillful in scratching
lute…strings with their skinny claws！ 'I will wager you a day's music；'
says he！And lost it！ Thus； see you； till Phoebus' chariot starts once
again； these lute…twangers are at my heels； seeing all I do； hearing all I say；
and accompanying all with melody。 'Twas pleasant at the first； but i' faith；
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
I begin to weary of it already！ （To the musicians）： Ho there！ go
serenade Montfleury for me！ Play a dance to him！ （The pages go toward
the door。 To the duenna）： I have come； as is my wont； nightly； to ask
Roxane whether。 。 。 （To the pages； who are going out）： Play a long
time；and play out of tune！ （To the duenna）： 。 。 。Whether her soul's
elected is ever the same； ever faultless！
ROXANE （coming out of the house）： Ah！ How handsome he is；
how brilliant a wit！ Andhow well I love him！
CYRANO （smiling）： Christian has so brilliant a wit？
ROXANE： Brighter than even your own； cousin！
CYRANO： Be it so； with all my heart！
ROXANE： Ah！ methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe
a man on this earth skilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings
that mean so much that mean all！ At times his mind seems far away；
the Muse says naughtand then； presto！ he speaksbewitchingly！
enchantingly！
CYRANO （incredulously）： No； no！
ROXANE： Fie！ That is ill said！ But lo！ men are ever thus！
Because he is fair to see； you would have it that he must be dull of speech。
CYRANO： He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love？
ROXANE： In telling his love？ why； 'tis not simple telling； 'tis
dissertation； 'tis analysis！
CYRANO： How is he with the pen？
ROXANE： Still better！ Listen；here： （Reciting）： 'The more
of my poor heart you take The larger grows my heart！' （Triumphantly
to Cyrano）： How like you those lines？
CYRANO： Pooh！
ROXANE： And thus it goes on。 。 。 'And； since some target I
must show For Cupid's cruel dart； Oh； if mine own you deign to
keep； Then give me your sweet heart！'
CYRANO： Lord！ first he has too much； then anon not enough！
How much heart does the fellow want？
ROXANE： You would vex a saint！。 。 。But 'tis your jealousy。
CYRANO （starting）： What mean you？
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
ROXANE： Ay； your poet's jealousy！ Hark now； if this again be
not tender…sweet？ 'My heart to yours sounds but one cry： If
kisses fast could flee By letter； then with your sweet lips My
letters read should be！ If kisses could be writ with ink； If kisses
fast could flee！'
CYRANO （smiling approvingly in spite of himself）： Ha！ those last
lines are；hm！。 。 。hm！。 。 。 （Correcting himselfcontemptuously）： They
are paltry enough！
ROXANE： And this。 。 。
CYRANO （enchanted）： Then you have his letters by heart？
ROXANE： Every one of them！
CYRANO： By all oaths that can be sworn；'tis flattering！
ROXANE： They are the lines of a master！
CYRANO （modestly）： Come； nay。 。 。a master？。 。 。
ROXANE： Ay； I say ita master！
CYRANO： Goodbe it so。
THE DUENNA （coming down quickly）： Here comes Monsieur de
Guiche！ （To Cyrano； pushing him toward the house）： In with you！
'twere best he see you not； it might perchance put him on the scent。 。 。
ROXANE （to Cyrano）： Ay； of my own dear secret！ He loves me；
and is powerful； and； if he knew； then all were lost！ Marry！ he could well
deal a deathblow to my love！
CYRANO （entering the house）： Good！ good！
（De Guiche appears。）
SCENE 3。II。
Roxane； De Guiche； the duenna standing a little way off。
ROXANE （courtesying to De Guiche）： I was going out。
DE GUICHE： I come to take my leave。
ROXANE： Whither go you？
DE GUICHE： To the war。
ROXANE： Ah！
DE GUICHE： Ay； to…night。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
ROXANE： Oh！
DE GUICHE： I am ordered away。 We are to besiege Arras。
ROXANE： Ahto besiege？。 。 。
DE GUICHE： Ay。 My going moves you not； meseems。
ROXANE： Nay。 。 。
DE GUICHE： I a