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！
DE GUICHE （shrugging his shoulders and pushing him away； then
going quickly to Roxane）： Briefly； Madame； what decision do you
deign to take？
ROXANE： I stay here。
DE GUICHE： You must fly！
ROXANE： No！ I will stay。
DE GUICHE： Since things are thus； give me a musket； one of you！
CARBON： Wherefore？
DE GUICHE： Because I toomean to remain。
CYRANO： At last！ This is true valor； Sir！
FIRST CADET： Then you are Gascon after all； spite of your lace
collar？
ROXANE： What is all this？
DE GUICHE： I leave no woman in peril。
SECOND CADET （to the first）： Hark you！ Think you not we
might give him something to eat？
（All the viands reappear as if by magic。）
DE GUICHE （whose eyes sparkle）： Victuals！
THE THIRD CADET： Yes； you'll see them coming from under
every coat！
DE GUICHE （controlling himself； haughtily）： Do you think I will
eat your leavings？
109
… Page 110…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
CYRANO （saluting him）： You make progress。
DE GUICHE （proudly； with a light touch of accent on the word
'breaking'）： I will fight without br…r…eaking my fast！
FIRST CADET （with wild delight）： Br…r…r…eaking！ He has got the
accent！
DE GUICHE （laughing）： I？
THE CADET： 'Tis a Gascon！
（All begin to dance。）
CARBON DE CASTEL…JALOUX （who had disappeared behind the
rampart； reappearing on the ridge）： I have drawn my pikemen up in line。
They are a resolute troop。
（He points to a row of pikes； the tops of which are seen over the ridge。）
DE GUICHE （bowing to Roxane）： Will you accept my hand； and
accompany me while I review them？
（She takes it； and they go up toward the rampart。 All uncover and
follow them。）
CHRISTIAN （going to Cyrano； eagerly）： Tell me quickly！
（As Roxane appears on the ridge； the tops of the lances disappear；
lowered for the salute； and a shout is raised。 She bows。）
THE PIKEMEN （outside）： Vivat！
CHRISTIAN： What is this secret？
CYRANO： If Roxane should。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： Should？。 。 。
CYRANO： Speak of the letters？。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： Yes； I know！。 。 。
CYRANO： Do not spoil all by seeming surprised。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： At what？
CYRANO： I must explain to you！。 。 。Oh！ 'tis no great matterI but
thought of it to… day on seeing her。 You have。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： Tell quickly！
CYRANO： You have。 。 。written to her oftener than you think。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： How so？
CYRANO： Thus； 'faith！ I had taken it in hand to express your
flame for you！。 。 。At times I wrote without saying； 'I am writing！'
110
… Page 111…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
CHRISTIAN： Ah！。 。 。
CYRANO： 'Tis simple enough！
CHRISTIAN： But how did you contrive； since we have been cut off；
thus。 。 。to？。 。 。
CYRANO： 。 。 。Oh！ before dawn。 。 。I was able to get through。 。 。
CHRISTIAN （folding his arms）： That was simple； too？ And how
oft； pray you； have I written？。 。 。Twice in the week？。 。 。Three
times？。 。 。Four？。 。 。
CYRANO： More often still。
CHRISTIAN： What！ Every day？
CYRANO： Yes； every day；twice。
CHRISTIAN （violently）： And that became so mad a joy for you；
that you braved death。 。 。
CYRANO （seeing Roxane returning）： Hush！ Not before her！
（He goes hurriedly into his tent。）
SCENE 4。VIII。
Roxane； Christian。 In the distance cadets coming and going。
Carbon and De Guiche give orders。
ROXANE （running up to Christian）： Ah； Christian； at last！。 。 。
CHRISTIAN （taking her hands）： Now tell me why Why； by
these fearful paths so perilous Across these ranks of ribald soldiery；
You have come？
ROXANE： Love； your letters brought me here！
CHRISTIAN： What say you？
ROXANE： 'Tis your fault if I ran risks！ Your letters turned my
head！ Ah！ all this month； How many！and the last one ever bettered
The one that went before！
CHRISTIAN： What！for a few Inconsequent love…letters！
ROXANE： Hold your peace！ Ah！ you cannot conceive it！ Ever
since That night； when； in a voice all new to me； Under my window
you revealed your soul Ah！ ever since I have adored you！ Now
Your letters all this whole month long！meseemed As if I heard that
111
… Page 112…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
voice so tender； true； Sheltering； close！ Thy fault； I say！ It drew me；
The voice o' th' night！ Oh！ wise Penelope Would ne'er have stayed to
broider on her hearthstone； If her Ulysses could have writ such letters！
But would have cast away her silken bobbins； And fled to join him；
mad for love as Helen！
CHRISTIAN： But。 。 。
ROXANE： I read； read againgrew faint for love； I was thine
utterly。 Each separate page Was like a fluttering flower…petal； loosed
From your own soul； and wafted thus to mine。 Imprinted in each
burning word was love Sincere； all…powerful。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： A love sincere！ Can that be felt； Roxane！
ROXANE： Ay； that it can！
CHRISTIAN： You come。 。 。？
ROXANE： O； Christian； my true lord； I come （Were I to throw
myself； here； at your knees； You would raise mebut 'tis my soul I lay
At your feetyou can raise it nevermore！） I come to crave your
pardon。 （Ay； 'tis time To sue for pardon； now that death may come！）
For the insult done to you when； frivolous； At first I loved you only for
your face！
CHRISTIAN （horror…stricken）： Roxane！
ROXANE： And later； loveless frivolous Like a bird that
spreads its wings； but can not fly Arrested by your beauty； by your
soul Drawn closeI loved for both at once！
CHRISTIAN： And now？
ROXANE： Ah！ you yourself have triumphed o'er yourself； And
now； I love you only for your soul！
CHRISTIAN （stepping backward）： Roxane！
ROXANE： Be happy。 To be loved for beauty A poor disguise
that time so soon wears threadbare Must be to noble soulsto souls
aspiring A torture。 Your dear thoughts have now effaced That
beauty that so won me at the outset。 Now I see clearerand I no more
see it！
CHRISTIAN： Oh！。 。 。
ROXANE： You are doubtful of such victory？
112
… Page 113…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
CHRISTIAN （pained）： Roxane！
ROXANE： I see you cannot yet believe it。 Such love。 。 。？
CHRISTIAN： I do not ask such love as that！ I would be loved
more simply； for。 。 。
ROXANE： For that Which they have all in turns loved in thee？
Shame！ Oh！ be loved henceforth in a better way！
CHRISTIAN： No！ the first love was best！
ROXANE： Ah！ how you err！ 'Tis now that I love bestlove well！
'Tis that Which is thy true self； see！that I adore！ Were your
brilliance dimmed。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： Hush！
ROXANE： I should love still！ Ay； if your beauty should to…day
depart。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： Say not so！
ROXANE： Ay； I say it！
CHRISTIAN： Ugly？ How？
ROXANE： Ugly！ I swear I'd love you still！
CHRISTIAN： My God！
ROXANE： Are you content at last？
CHRISTIAN （in a choked voice）： Ay！。 。 。
ROXANE： What is wrong？
CHRISTIAN （gently pushing he