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e double row of trees of this alley are seen lawns； other alleys； clusters of trees； winding of the park； the sky。
The chapel opens by a little side door on to a colonnade which is wreathed with autumn leaves； and is lost to view a little farther on in the right…hand foreground behind the boxwood。
It is autumn。 All the foliage is red against the fresh green of the lawns。 The green boxwood and yews stand out dark。
Under each tree a patch of yellow leaves。
The stage is strewn with dead leaves； which rustle under foot in the alleys； and half cover the steps and benches。
Between the benches on the right hand and the tree a large embroidery frame； in front of which a little chair has been set。
Baskets full of skeins and balls of wool。 A tapestry begun。
At the rising of the curtains nuns are walking to and fro in the park； some are seated on the bench around an older Sister。
The leaves are falling。
Scene 5。I。
Mother Marguerite； Sister Martha； Sister Claire； other sisters。
SISTER MARTHA （to Mother Marguerite）： Sister Claire glanced in the mirror； oncenay； twice； to see if her coif suited。
MOTHER MARGUERITE （to Sister Claire）： 'Tis not well。
SISTER CLAIRE： But I saw Sister Martha take a plum Out of the tart。
MOTHER MARGUERITE （to Sister Martha）： That was ill done； my sister。
SISTER CLAIRE： A little glance！
SISTER MARTHA： And such a little plum！
MOTHER MARGUERITE： I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano。
SISTER CLAIRE： Nay； prithee do not！he will mock！
SISTER MARTHA： He'll say we nuns are vain！
SISTER CLAIRE： And greedy！
MOTHER MARGUERITE （smiling）： Ay； and kind！
SISTER CLAIRE： Is it not true； pray； Mother Marguerite； That he has come； each week； on Saturday For ten years； to the convent？
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Ay！ and more！ Ever sincefourteen years agothe day His cousin brought here； 'midst our woolen coifs； The worldly mourning of her widow's veil； Like a blackbird's wing among the convent doves！
SISTER MARTHA： He only has the skill to turn her mind From griefunsoftened yet by Timeunhealed！
ALL THE SISTERS： He is so droll！It's cheerful when he comes！ He teases us！But we all like him well！ We make him pasties of angelica！
SISTER MARTHA： But； he is not a faithful Catholic！
SISTER CLAIRE： We will convert him！
THE SISTERS： Yes！ Yes！
MOTHER MARGUERITE： I forbid； My daughters； you attempt that subject。 Nay； Weary him nothe might less oft come here！
SISTER MARTHA： But。 。 。God。 。 。
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Nay； never fear！ God knows him well！
SISTER MARTHA： Butevery Saturday； when he arrives； He tells me； 'Sister； I eat meat on Friday！'
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Ah！ says he so？ Well； the last time he came Food had not passed his lips for two whole days！
SISTER MARTHA： Mother！
MOTHER MARGUERITE： He's poor。
SISTER MARTHA： Who told you so； dear Mother？
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Monsieur Le Bret。
SISTER MARTHA： None help him？
MOTHER MARGUERITE： He permits not。 （In an alley at the back Roxane appears； dressed in black； with a widow's coif and veil。 De Guiche； imposing…looking and visibly aged； walks by her side。 They saunter slowly。 Mother Marguerite rises）： 'Tis time we go in； Madame Madeleine Walks in the garden with a visitor。
SISTER MARTHA （to Sister Claire； in a low voice）： The Marshal of Grammont？
SISTER CLAIRE （looking at him）： 'Tis he； I think。
SISTER MARTHA： 'Tis many months now since he came to see her。
THE SISTERS： He is so busy！The Court；the camp！。 。 。
SISTER CLAIRE： The world！
（They go out。 De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence； and stop close to the embroidery frame。）
Scene 5。II。
Roxane； the Duke de Grammont； formerly Count de Guiche。 Then Le Bret and Ragueneau。
THE DUKE： And you stay here stillever vainly fair； Ever in weeds？
ROXANE： Ever。
THE DUKE： Still faithful？
ROXANE： Still。
THE DUKE （after a pause）： Am I forgiven？
ROXANE： Ay； since I am here。
（Another pause。）
THE DUKE： His was a soul； you say？。 。 。
ROXANE： Ah！when you knew him！
THE DUKE： Ah； may be！。 。 。I； perchance； too little knew him！ 。 。 。And his last letter； ever next your heart？
ROXANE： Hung from this chain； a gentle scapulary。
THE DUKE： And； dead； you love him still？
ROXANE： At times；meseems He is but partly deadour hearts still speak； As if his love； still living； wrapped me round！
THE DUKE （after another pause）： Cyrano comes to see you？
ROXANE： Often； ay。 Dear； kind old friend！ We call him my 'Gazette。' He never fails to come： beneath this tree They place his chair； if it be fine：I wait； I broider；the clock strikes；at the last stroke I hear；for now I never turn to look Too sure to hear his cane tap down the steps； He seats himself：with gentle raillery He mocks my tapestry that's never done； He tells me all the gossip of the week。 。 。 （Le Bret appears on the steps）： Why； here's Le Bret！ （Le Bret descends）： How goes it with our friend？
LE BRET： Ill！very ill。
THE DUKE： How？
ROXANE （to the Duke）： He exaggerates！
LE BRET： All that I prophesied： desertion； want！。 。 。 His letters now make him fresh enemies！ Attacking the sham nobles； sham devout； Sham brave；the thieving authors；all the world！
ROXANE： Ah！ but his sword still holds them all in check； None get the better of him。
THE DUKE （shaking his head）： Time will show！
LE BRET： Ah； but I fear for himnot man's attack； Solitudehungercold December days； That wolf…like steal into his chamber drear： Lo！ the assassins that I fear for him！ Each day he tightens by one hole his belt： That poor nosetinted like old ivory： He has retained one shabby suit of serge。
THE DUKE： Ay； there is one who has no prize of Fortune！ Yet is not to be pitied！
LE BRET （with a bitter smile）： My Lord Marshal！。 。 。
THE DUKE： Pity him not！ He has lived out his vows； Free in his thoughts； as in his actions free！
LE BRET （in the same tone）： My Lord！。 。 。
THE DUKE （haughtily）： True！ I have all； and he has naught；。 。 。 Yet I were proud to take his hand！ （Bowing to Roxane）： Adieu！
ROXANE： I go with you。
（The Duke bows to Le Bret； and goes with Roxane toward the steps。）
THE DUKE （pausing； while she goes up）： Ay； true；I envy him。 Look you； when life is brimful of success Though the past hold no action foulone feels A thousand self…disgusts； of which the sum Is not remorse； but a dim； vague unrest； And； as one mounts the steps of worldly fame； The Duke's furred mantles trail within their folds A sound of dead illusions； vain regrets； A rustlescarce a whisperlike as when； Mounting the terrace steps； by your mourning robe Sweeps in its train the dying autumn leaves。
ROXANE （ironically）： You are pensive？
THE DUKE： True！ I am！ （As he is going out； suddenly）： Monsieur Le Bret！ （To Roxane）： A word； with your permission？ （He goes to Le Bret； and in a low voice）： True； that none Dare to attack your friend；but many hate him； Yesterday； at the Queen's card…play； 'twas said 'That Cyrano may dieby accident！' Let him stay inbe prudent！
LE BRET （raising his arms to heaven）： Prudent！ He！。 。 。 He's coming here。 I'll warn himbut！。 。 。
ROXANE （who has stayed on the steps； to a sister who comes toward her）： What is it？
THE SISTER： Ragueneau would see you； Madame。
ROXANE： Let him come。 （To the Duke and Le Bret）： He comes to tell his troubles。 Having been An author （save the mark！）poor fellownow By turns he's singer。 。 。
LE BRET： Bathing…man。 。 。
ROXANE： Then actor。 。 。
LE BRET： Beadle。 。 。
ROXANE： Wig…maker。 。 。
LE BRET： Teacher of the lute。 。 。
ROXANE： What will he be to…day； by chance？
RAGUENEAU （entering hurriedly）： Ah！ Madame！ （He sees Le Bret）： Ah！ you here； Sir！
ROXANE （smiling）： Tell all your miseries To him； I will return anon。
RAGUENEAU： But； Madame。 。 。
（Roxane goes out with the Duke。 Ragueneau goes toward Le Bret。）
Scene 5。III。
Le Bret； Ragueneau。
RAGUENEAU： Since you are here； 'tis best she should not know！ I was going to your friend just nowwas but A few steps from the house； when I saw him Go out。 I hurried to him。 Saw him turn The corner。 。 。suddenly； from out a window Where he was passingwas it chance？。 。 。may be！ A lackey let fall a large piece of wood。
LE BRET： Cowards！ O Cyrano！
RAGUENEAU： I ranI saw。 。 。
LE BRET： 'Tis hideous！
RAGUENEAU： Saw our poet； Sirour friend Struck to the grounda large wound in his head！
LE BRET： He's dead？
RAGUENEAU： NobutI bore him to his room。 。 。 Ah！ his room！ What a thing to see！that garret！
LE BRET： He suffers？
RAGUENEAU： No； his consciousness has flown。
LE BRET： Saw you a doctor？
RAGUENEAU： One was kindhe came。
LE BRET： My poor Cyrano！We must not tell this To Roxane suddenly。What said this leech？
RAGUENEAU： Said；what； I know notfever； meningitis！ Ah！ could you see himall his head bound up！ But let us haste！There's no one by his bed！ And if he try to rise； Sir； he might die！