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great china vases are tall bouquets of simple flowers； principally yellow
sunflowers。
On the same side； farther back； an immense open fireplace； in front of
which； between monster firedogs； on each of which hangs a little saucepan；
the roasts are dripping into the pans。
On the right； foreground with door。
Farther back； staircase leading to a little room under the roof； the
entrance of which is visible through the open shutter。 In this room a table
is laid。 A small Flemish luster is alight。 It is a place for eating and
drinking。 A wooden gallery； continuing the staircase； apparently leads to
other similar little rooms。
In the middle of the shop an iron hoop is suspended from the ceiling
by a string with which it can be drawn up and down； and big game is hung
around it。
The ovens in the darkness under the stairs give forth a red glow。 The
copper pans shine。 The spits are turning。 Heaps of food formed into
pyramids。 Hams suspended。 It is the busy hour of the morning。
Bustle and hurry of scullions； fat cooks； and diminutive apprentices； their
caps profusely decorated with cock's feathers and wings of guinea…fowl。
On metal and wicker plates they are bringing in piles of cakes and
tarts。
Tables laden with rolls and dishes of food。 Other tables surrounded
with chairs are ready for the consumers。
A small table in a corner covered with papers； at which Ragueneau is
seated writing on the rising of the curtain。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
SCENE 2。I。
Ragueneau； pastry…cooks； then Lise。 Ragueneau is writing； with an
inspired air； at a small table； and counting on his fingers。
FIRST PASTRY…COOK （bringing in an elaborate fancy dish）：
Fruits in nougat！
SECOND PASTRY…COOK （bringing another dish）： Custard！
THIRD PASTRY…COOK （bringing a roast； decorated with feathers）：
Peacock！
FOURTH PASTRY…COOK （bringing a batch of cakes on a slab）：
Rissoles！
FIFTH PASTRY…COOK （bringing a sort of pie…dish）： Beef jelly！
RAGUENEAU （ceasing to write； and raising his head）： Aurora's
silver rays begin to glint e'en now on the copper pans； and thou； O
Ragueneau！ must perforce stifle in thy breast the God of Song！ Anon
shall come the hour of the lute！now 'tis the hour of the oven！ （He rises。
To a cook）： You； make that sauce longer； 'tis too short！
THE COOK： How much too short？
RAGUENEAU： Three feet。
（He passes on farther。）
THE COOK： What means he？
FIRST PASTRY…COOK （showing a dish to Ragueneau）： The tart！
SECOND PASTRY…COOK： The pie！
RAGUENEAU （before the fire）： My muse； retire； lest thy bright
eyes be reddened by the fagot's blaze！ （To a cook； showing him some
loaves）： You have put the cleft o' th' loaves in the wrong place； know
you not that the coesura should be between the hemistiches？ （To another；
showing him an unfinished pasty）： To this palace of paste you must add
the roof。 。 。 （To a young apprentice； who； seated on the ground； is spitting
the fowls）： And you； as you put on your lengthy spit the modest fowl
and the superb turkey； my son； alternate them； as the old Malherbe loved
well to alternate his long lines of verse with the short ones； thus shall your
roasts； in strophes； turn before the flame！
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
ANOTHER APPRENTICE （also coming up with a tray covered by a
napkin）： Master； I bethought me erewhile of your tastes； and made this；
which will please you； I hope。
（He uncovers the tray； and shows a large lyre made of pastry。）
RAGUENEAU （enchanted）： A lyre！
THE APPRENTICE： 'Tis of brioche pastry。
RAGUENEAU （touched）： With conserved fruits。
THE APPRENTICE： The strings； see； are of sugar。
RAGUENEAU （giving him a coin）： Go； drink my health！ （Seeing
Lise enter）： Hush！ My wife。 Bustle； pass on； and hide that money！
（To Lise； showing her the lyre； with a conscious look）： Is it not
beautiful？
LISE： 'Tis passing silly！
（She puts a pile of papers on the counter。）
RAGUENEAU： Bags？ Good。 I thank you。 （He looks at them）：
Heavens！ my cherished leaves！ The poems of my friends！ Torn；
dismembered； to make bags for holding biscuits and cakes！。 。 。Ah； 'tis the
old tale again。 。 。Orpheus and the Bacchantes！
LISE （dryly）： And am I not free to turn at last to some use the sole
thing that your wretched scribblers of halting lines leave behind them by
way of payment？
RAGUENEAU： Groveling ant！。 。 。Insult not the divine
grasshoppers； the sweet singers！
LISE： Before you were the sworn comrade of all that crew； my
friend； you did not call your wife ant and Bacchante！
RAGUENEAU： To turn fair verse to such a use！
LISE： 'Faith； 'tis all it's good for。
RAGUENEAU： Pray then； madam； to what use would you degrade
prose？
SCENE 2。II。
The same。 Two children； who have just trotted into the shop。
RAGUENEAU： What would you； little ones？
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
FIRST CHILD： Three pies。
RAGUENEAU （serving them）： See； hot and well browned。
SECOND CHILD： If it please you； Sir； will you wrap them up for
us？
RAGUENEAU （aside； distressed）： Alas！ one of my bags！ （To the
children）： What？ Must I wrap them up？ （He takes a bag； and just as
he is about to put in the pies； he reads）： 'Ulysses thus； on leaving fair
Penelope。 。 。' Not that one！ （He puts it aside； and takes another； and as
he is about to put in the pies； he reads）： 'The gold…locked Phoebus。 。 。'
Nay； nor that one！。 。 。
（Same play。）
LISE （impatiently）： What are you dallying for？
RAGUENEAU： Here！ here！ here （He chooses a third； resignedly）：
The sonnet to Phillis！。 。 。but 'tis hard to part with it！
LISE： By good luck he has made up his mind at last！ （Shrugging
her shoulders）： Nicodemus！
（She mounts on a chair； and begins to range plates on a dresser。）
RAGUENEAU （taking advantage of the moment she turns her back；
calls back the children； who are already at the door）： Hist！
children！。 。 。render me back the sonnet to Phillis； and you shall have six
pies instead of three。
（The children give him back the bag； seize the cakes quickly； and go
out。）
RAGUENEAU （smoothing out the paper； begins to declaim）：
'Phillis！。 。 。' On that sweet name a smear of butter！ 'Phillis！。 。 。'
（Cyrano enters hurriedly。）
SCENE 2。III。
Ragueneau； Lise； Cyrano； then the musketeer。
CYRANO： What's o'clock？
RAGUENEAU （bowing low）： Six o'clock。
CYRANO （with emotion）： In one hour's time！
（He paces up and down the shop。）
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
RAGUENEAU （following him）： Bravo！ I saw。 。 。
CYRANO： Well； what saw you； then？
RAGUENEAU： Your combat！。 。 。
CYRANO： Which？
RAGUENEAU： That in the Burgundy Hotel； 'faith！
CYRANO （contemptuously）： Ah！。 。 。the duel！
RAGUENEAU （admiringly）： Ay！ the duel in verse！。 。 。
LISE： He can talk of naught else！
CYRANO： Well！ Good！ let be！
RAGUENEAU （making passes with a spit that he catches up）： 'At
the envoi's end； I touch！。 。 。At the envoi's end； I touch！'。 。 。'Tis fine； fine！
（With increasing enthusiasm）： 'At the envoi's end'
CYRANO： What hour is it now； Ragueneau？
RAGUENEAU （stopping short in