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SECOND MARQUIS： Is he of noble birth？
CUIGY： Ay； noble enough。 He is a cadet in the Guards。 （Pointing
to a gentleman who is going up and down the hall as if searching for some
one）： But 'tis his friend Le Bret； yonder； who can best tell you。 （He
calls him）： Le Bret！ （Le Bret comes towards them）： Seek you for De
Bergerac？
LE BRET： Ay； I am uneasy。 。 。
CUIGY： Is it not true that he is the strangest of men？
LE BRET （tenderly）： True； that he is the choicest of earthly beings！
RAGUENEAU： Poet！
CUIGY： Soldier！
BRISSAILLE： Philosopher！
LE BRET： Musician！
LIGNIERE： And of how fantastic a presence！
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
RAGENEAU： Marry； 'twould puzzle even our grim painter
Philippe de Champaigne to portray him！ Methinks； whimsical； wild；
comical as he is； only Jacques Callot； now dead and gone； had succeeded
better； and had made of him the maddest fighter of all his visored crew
with his triple…plumed beaver and six…pointed doubletthe sword…point
sticking up 'neath his mantle like an insolent cocktail！ He's prouder than
all the fierce Artabans of whom Gascony has ever been and will ever be
the prolific Alma Mater！ Above his Toby ruff he carries a nose！ah；
good my lords； what a nose is his！ When one sees it one is fain to cry
aloud； 'Nay！ 'tis too much！ He plays a joke on us！' Then one laughs；
says 'He will anon take it off。' But no！Monsieur de Bergerac always
keeps it on。
LE BRET （throwing back his head）： He keeps it onand cleaves in
two any man who dares remark on it！
RAGUENEAU （proudly）： His sword'tis one half of the Fates'
shears！
FIRST MARQUIS （shrugging his shoulders）： He will not come！
RAGUENEAU： I say he will！ and I wager a fowla la Ragueneau。
THE MARQUIS （laughing）： Good！
（Murmurs of admiration in hall。 Roxane has just appeared in her box。
She seats herself in front； the duenna at the back。 Christian； who is
paying the buffet…girl； does not see her entrance。）
SECOND MARQUIS （with little cries of joy）： Ah； gentlemen！ she
is fearfullyterriblyravishing！
FIRST MARQUIS： When one looks at her one thinks of a peach
smiling at a strawberry！
SECOND MARQUIS： And what freshness！ A man approaching
her too near might chance to get a bad chill at the heart！
CHRISTIAN （raising his head； sees Roxane； and catches Ligniere by
the arm）： 'Tis she！
LIGNIERE： Ah！ is it she？
CHRISTIAN： Ay； tell me quickI am afraid。
LIGNIERE （tasting his rivesalte in sips）： Magdaleine Robin
Roxane； so called！ A subtle wita precieuse。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
CHRISTIAN： Woe is me！
LIGNIERE： Free。 An orphan。 The cousin of Cyrano； of whom
we were now speaking。
（At this moment an elegant nobleman； with blue ribbon across his
breast； enters the box； and talks with Roxane； standing。）
CHRISTIAN （starting）： Who is yonder man？
LIGNIERE （who is becoming tipsy； winking at him）： Ha！ ha！
Count de Guiche。 Enamored of her。 But wedded to the niece of
Armand de Richelieu。 Would fain marry Roxane to a certain sorry fellow；
one Monsieur de Valvert； a viscountandaccommodating！ She will
none of that bargain； but De Guiche is powerful； and can persecute the
daughter of a plain untitled gentleman。 More by token； I myself have
exposed this cunning plan of his to the world； in a song which。 。 。Ho！ he
must rage at me！ The end hit home。 。 。Listen！
（He gets up staggering； and raises his glass； ready to sing。）
CHRISTIAN： No。 Good…night。
LIGNIERE： Where go you？
CHRISTIAN： To Monsieur de Valvert！
LIGNIERE： Have a care！ It is he who will kill you （showing him
Roxane by a look）： Stay where you areshe is looking at you。
CHRISTIAN： It is true！
（He stands looking at her。 The group of pickpockets seeing him thus；
head in air and open…mouthed； draw near to him。）
LIGNIERE： 'Tis I who am going。 I am athirst！ And they expect
mein the taverns！
（He goes out； reeling。）
LE BRET （who has been all round the hall； coming back to Ragueneau
reassured）： No sign of Cyrano。
RAGUENEAU （incredulously）： All the same。 。 。
LE BRET： A hope is left to methat he has not seen the playbill！
THE AUDIENCE： Begin； begin！
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
SCENE 1。III。
The same； all but Ligniere。 De Guiche； Valvert； then Montfleury。
A marquis （watching De Guiche； who comes down from Roxane's box；
and crosses the pit surrounded by obsequious noblemen； among them the
Viscount de Valvert）： He pays a fine court； your De Guiche！
ANOTHER： Faugh！。 。 。Another Gascon！
THE FIRST： Ay； but the cold； supple Gasconthat is the stuff
success is made of！ Believe me； we had best make our bow to him。
（They go toward De Guiche。）
SECOND MARQUIS： What fine ribbons！ How call you the color；
Count de Guiche？ 'Kiss me； my darling；' or 'Timid Fawn？'
DE GUICHE： 'Tis the color called 'Sick Spaniard。'
FIRST MARQUIS： 'Faith！ The color speaks truth； for； thanks to
your valor； things will soon go ill for Spain in Flanders。
DE GUICHE： I go on the stage！ Will you come？ （He goes toward
the stage； followed by the marquises and gentlemen。 Turning； he calls）：
Come you Valvert！
CHRISTIAN （who is watching and listening； starts on hearing this
name）： The Viscount！ Ah！ I will throw full in his face my。 。 。 （He puts
his hand in his pocket； and finds there the hand of a pickpocket who is
about to rob him。 He turns round）： Hey？
THE PICKPOCKET： Oh！
CHRISTIAN （holding him tightly）： I was looking for a glove。
THE PICKPOCKET （smiling piteously）： And you find a hand。
（Changing his tone； quickly and in a whisper）： Let me but go； and I will
deliver you a secret。
CHRISTIAN （still holding him）： What is it？
THE PICKPOCKET： Ligniere。 。 。he who has just left you。 。 。
CHRISTIAN （same play）： Well？
THE PICKPOCKET： His life is in peril。 A song writ by him has
given offense in high places and a hundred menI am of themare
posted to…night。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： A hundred men！ By whom posted？
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
THE PICKPOCKET： I may not saya secret。 。 。
CHRISTIAN （shrugging his shoulders）： Oh！
THE PICKPOCKET （with great dignity）： 。 。 。Of the profession。
CHRISTIAN： Where are they posted？
THE PICKPOCKET： At the Porte de Nesle。 On his way
homeward。 Warn him。
CHRISTIAN （letting go of his wrists）： But where can I find him？
THE PICKPOCKET： Run round to all the tavernsThe Golden
Wine Press； the Pine Cone； The Belt that Bursts； The Two Torches； The
Three Funnels； and at each leave a word that shall put him on his guard。
CHRISTIAN： GoodI fly！ Ah； the scoundrels！ A hundred men
'gainst one！ （Looking lovingly at Roxane）： Ah； to leave her！。 。 。
（looking with rage at Valvert）： and him！。 。 。But save Ligniere I must！
（He hurries out。 De Guiche； the viscount； the marquises； have all
disappeared behind the curtain to take their places on the benches placed
on the stage。 The pit is quite full； the galleries and boxes are also
crowded。）
THE AUDIENCE： Begin！