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ROXANE （coming out on to the balcony）： That is better！ But An if you deem that Cupid be so cruel You should have stifled baby…love in's cradle！
CHRISTIAN （same play）： Ah； Madame； I assayed； but all in vain This。 。 。new…born babe is a young。 。 。Hercules！
ROXANE： Still better！
CHRISTIAN （same play）： Thus he strangled in my heart The。 。 。serpents twain； of。 。 。Pride。 。 。and Doubt！
ROXANE （leaning over the balcony）： Well said！ But why so faltering？ Has mental palsy Seized on your faculty imaginative？
CYRANO （drawing Christian under the balcony； and slipping into his place）： Give place！ This waxes critical！。 。 。
ROXANE： To…day。 。 。 Your words are hesitating。
CYRANO （imitating Christianin a whisper）： Night has come。 。 。 In the dusk they grope their way to find your ear。
ROXANE： But my words find no such impediment。
CYRANO： They find their way at once？ Small wonder that！ For 'tis within my heart they find their home； Bethink how large my heart； how small your ear！ And；from fair heights descending； words fall fast； But mine must mount； Madame； and that takes time！
ROXANE： Meseems that your last words have learned to climb。
CYRANO： With practice such gymnastic grows less hard！
ROXANE： In truth； I seem to speak from distant heights！
CYRANO： True； far above； at such a height 'twere death If a hard word from you fell on my heart。
ROXANE （moving）： I will come down。 。 。
CYRANO （hastily）： No！
ROXANE （showing him the bench under the balcony）： Mount then on the bench！
CYRANO （starting back alarmed）： No！
ROXANE： How； you will not？
CYRANO （more and more moved）： Stay awhile！ 'Tis sweet；。 。 。 The rare occasion； when our hearts can speak Our selves unseen； unseeing！
ROXANE： Whyunseen？
CYRANO： Ay； it is sweet！ Half hidden；half revealed You see the dark folds of my shrouding cloak； And I； the glimmering whiteness of your dress： I but a shadowyou a radiance fair！ Know you what such a moment holds for me？ If ever I were eloquent。 。 。
ROXANE： You were！
CYRANO： Yet never till to…night my speech has sprung Straight from my heart as now it springs。
ROXANE： Why not？
CYRANO： Till now I spoke haphazard。 。 。
ROXANE： What？
CYRANO： Your eyes Have beams that turn men dizzy！But to…night Methinks I shall find speech for the first time！
ROXANE： 'Tis true； your voice rings with a tone that's new。
CYRANO （coming nearer； passionately）： Ay； a new tone！ In the tender； sheltering dusk I dare to be myself for once；at last！ （He stops； falters）： What say I？ I know not！Oh； pardon me It thrills me；'tis so sweet； so novel。 。 。
ROXANE： How？ So novel？
CYRANO （off his balance； trying to find the thread of his sentence）： Ay；to be at last sincere； Till now； my chilled heart； fearing to be mocked。 。 。
ROXANE： Mocked； and for what？
CYRANO： For its mad beating！Ay； My heart has clothed itself with witty words； To shroud itself from curious eyes：impelled At times to aim at a star； I stay my hand； And； fearing ridicule；cull a wild flower！
ROXANE： A wild flower's sweet。
CYRANO： Ay； but to…nightthe star！
ROXANE： Oh！ never have you spoken thus before！
CYRANO： If； leaving Cupid's arrows； quivers； torches； We turned to seek for sweeterfresher things！ Instead of sipping in a pygmy glass Dull fashionable waters；did we try How the soul slakes its thirst in fearless draught By drinking from the river's flooding brim！
ROXANE： But wit？。 。 。
CYRANO： If I have used it to arrest you At the first starting；now； 'twould be an outrage； An insultto the perfumed Nightto Nature To speak fine words that garnish vain love…letters！ Look up but at her stars！ The quiet Heaven Will ease our hearts of all things artificial； I fear lest； 'midst the alchemy we're skilled in The truth of sentiment dissolve and vanish； The soul exhausted by these empty pastimes； The gain of fine things be the loss of all things！
ROXANE： But wit？ I say。 。 。
CYRANO： In love 'tis crime；'tis hateful！ Turning frank loving into subtle fencing！ At last the moment comes； inevitable； Oh； woe for those who never know that moment！ When feeling love exists in us； ennobling； Each well…weighed word is futile and soul…saddening！
ROXANE： Well； if that moment's come for ussuppose it！ What words would serve you？
CYRANO： All； all； all； whatever That came to me； e'en as they came； I'd fling them In a wild cluster； not a careful bouquet。 I love thee！ I am mad！ I love； I stifle！ Thy name is in my heart as in a sheep…bell； And as I ever tremble； thinking of thee； Ever the bell shakes； ever thy name ringeth！ All things of thine I mind； for I love all things； I know that last year on the twelfth of May…month； To walk abroad； one day you changed your hair…plaits！ I am so used to take your hair for daylight That；like as when the eye stares on the sun's disk； One sees long after a red blot on all things So； when I quit thy beams； my dazzled vision Sees upon all things a blonde stain imprinted。
ROXANE （agitated）： Why； this is love indeed！。 。 。
CYRANO： Ay； true； the feeling Which fills me； terrible and jealous； truly Love；which is ever sad amid its transports！ Love；and yet； strangely； not a selfish passion！ I for your joy would gladly lay mine own down； E'en though you never were to know it；never！ If but at times I mightfar off and lonely； Hear some gay echo of the joy I bought you！ Each glance of thine awakes in me a virtue； A novel； unknown valor。 Dost begin； sweet； To understand？ So late； dost understand me？ Feel'st thou my soul； here； through the darkness mounting？ Too fair the night！ Too fair； too fair the moment！ That I should speak thus； and that you should hearken！ Too fair！ In moments when my hopes rose proudest； I never hoped such guerdon。 Naught is left me But to die now！ Have words of mine the power To make you tremble；throned there in the branches？ Ay； like a leaf among the leaves； you tremble！ You tremble！ For I feel；an if you will it； Or will it not；your hand's beloved trembling Thrill through the branches； down your sprays of jasmine！
（He kisses passionately one of the hanging tendrils。）
ROXANE： Ay！ I am trembling； weeping！I am thine！ Thou hast conquered all of me！
CYRANO： Then let death come！ 'Tis I； 'tis I myself； who conquered thee！ One thing； but one； I dare to ask
CHRISTIAN （under the balcony）： A kiss！
ROXANE （drawing back）： What？
CYRANO： Oh！
ROXANE： You ask。 。 。？
CYRANO： I。 。 。 （To Christian； whispering）： Fool！ you go too quick！
CHRISTIAN： Since she is moved thusI will profit by it！
CYRANO （to Roxane）： My words sprang thoughtlessly； but now I see Shame on me！I was too presumptuous。
ROXANE （a little chilled）： How quickly you withdraw。
CYRANO： Yes； I withdraw Without withdrawing！ Hurt I modesty？ If sothe kiss I askedoh； grant it not。
CHRISTIAN （to Cyrano； pulling him by his cloak）： Why？
CYRANO： Silence； Christian！ Hush！
ROXANE （leaning over）： What whisper you？
CYRANO： I chid myself for my too bold advances； Said； 'Silence； Christian！' （The lutes begin to play）： Hark！ Wait awhile；。 。 。 Steps come！ （Roxane shuts the window。 Cyrano listens to the lutes； one of which plays a merry； the other a melancholy； tune）： Why； they play sadthen gaythen sad！ What？ Neither man nor woman？oh！ a monk！
（Enter a capuchin friar； with a lantern。 He goes from house to house； looking at every door。）
Scene 3。VII。
Cyrano； Christian； a capuchin friar。
CYRANO （to the friar）： What do you； playing at Diogenes？
THE FRIAR： I seek the house of Madame。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： Oh！ plague take him！
THE FRIAR： Madeleine Robin。 。 。
CHRISTIAN： What would he？。 。 。
CYRANO （pointing to a street at the back）： This way！ Straight on。 。 。
THE FRIAR I thank you； and； in your intention Will tell my rosary to its last bead。
（He goes out。）
CYRANO： Good luck！ My blessings rest upon your cowl！
（He goes back to Christian。）
Scene 3。VIII。
Cyrano； Christian。
CHRISTIAN： Oh！ win for me that kiss。 。 。
CYRANO： No！
CHRISTIAN： Soon or late！。 。 。
CYRANO： 'Tis true！ The moment of intoxication Of madness；when your mouths are sure to meet Thanks to your fair mustacheand her rose lips！ （To himself）： I'd fainer it should come thanks to。 。 。
（A sound of shutters reopening。 Christian goes in again under the balcony。）
Scene 3。IX。
Cyrano； Christian； Roxane。
ROXANE （coming out on the balcony）： Still there？ We spoke of a。 。 。
CYRANO： A kiss！ The word is sweet。 I see not why your lip should shrink from it； If the word burns it；what would the kiss do？ Oh！ let it not your bashfulness affright； Have you not； all this time； insensibly； Left badinage aside； and unalarmed Glided from smile to sigh；from sigh to weeping？ Glide gently； imperceptibly； still onward From tear to kiss；a moment's thrill！a heartbeat！
ROXANE： Hush！ hush！
CYRANO： A kiss； when all is said；what is it？ An