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ROXANE： Brighter than even your own； cousin！
CYRANO： Be it so； with all my heart！
ROXANE： Ah！ methinks 'twere impossible that there could breathe
a man on this earth skilled to say as sweetly as he all the pretty nothings
that mean so much that mean all！ At times his mind seems far away；
the Muse says naughtand then； presto！ he speaksbewitchingly！
enchantingly！
CYRANO （incredulously）： No； no！
ROXANE： Fie！ That is ill said！ But lo！ men are ever thus！
Because he is fair to see； you would have it that he must be dull of speech。
CYRANO： He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love？
ROXANE： In telling his love？ why； 'tis not simple telling； 'tis
dissertation； 'tis analysis！
CYRANO： How is he with the pen？
ROXANE： Still better！ Listen；here： （Reciting）： 'The more
of my poor heart you take The larger grows my heart！' （Triumphantly
to Cyrano）： How like you those lines？
CYRANO： Pooh！
ROXANE： And thus it goes on。 。 。 'And； since some target I
must show For Cupid's cruel dart； Oh； if mine own you deign to
keep； Then give me your sweet heart！'
CYRANO： Lord！ first he has too much； then anon not enough！
How much heart does the fellow want？
ROXANE： You would vex a saint！。 。 。But 'tis your jealousy。
CYRANO （starting）： What mean you？
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
ROXANE： Ay； your poet's jealousy！ Hark now； if this again be
not tender…sweet？ 'My heart to yours sounds but one cry： If
kisses fast could flee By letter； then with your sweet lips My
letters read should be！ If kisses could be writ with ink； If kisses
fast could flee！'
CYRANO （smiling approvingly in spite of himself）： Ha！ those last
lines are；hm！。 。 。hm！。 。 。 （Correcting himselfcontemptuously）： They
are paltry enough！
ROXANE： And this。 。 。
CYRANO （enchanted）： Then you have his letters by heart？
ROXANE： Every one of them！
CYRANO： By all oaths that can be sworn；'tis flattering！
ROXANE： They are the lines of a master！
CYRANO （modestly）： Come； nay。 。 。a master？。 。 。
ROXANE： Ay； I say ita master！
CYRANO： Goodbe it so。
THE DUENNA （coming down quickly）： Here comes Monsieur de
Guiche！ （To Cyrano； pushing him toward the house）： In with you！
'twere best he see you not； it might perchance put him on the scent。 。 。
ROXANE （to Cyrano）： Ay； of my own dear secret！ He loves me；
and is powerful； and； if he knew； then all were lost！ Marry！ he could well
deal a deathblow to my love！
CYRANO （entering the house）： Good！ good！
（De Guiche appears。）
SCENE 3。II。
Roxane； De Guiche； the duenna standing a little way off。
ROXANE （courtesying to De Guiche）： I was going out。
DE GUICHE： I come to take my leave。
ROXANE： Whither go you？
DE GUICHE： To the war。
ROXANE： Ah！
DE GUICHE： Ay； to…night。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
ROXANE： Oh！
DE GUICHE： I am ordered away。 We are to besiege Arras。
ROXANE： Ahto besiege？。 。 。
DE GUICHE： Ay。 My going moves you not； meseems。
ROXANE： Nay。 。 。
DE GUICHE： I am grieved to the core of the heart。 Shall I again
behold you？。 。 。When？ I know not。 Heard you that I am named
commander？。 。 。
ROXANE （indifferently）： Bravo！
DE GUICHE： Of the Guards regiment。
ROXANE （startled）： What！ the Guards？
DE GUICHE： Ay； where serves your cousin； the swaggering
boaster。 I will find a way to revenge myself on him at Arras。
ROXANE （choking）： What mean you？ The Guards go to Arras？
DE GUICHE （laughing）： Bethink you； is it not my own regiment？
ROXANE （falling seated on the benchaside）： Christian！
DE GUICHE： What ails you？
ROXANE （moved deeply）： OhI am in despair！ The man one
loves！at the war！
DE GUICHE （surprised and delighted）： You say such sweet words
to me！ 'Tis the first time！and just when I must quit you！
ROXANE （collected； and fanning herself）： Thus；you would fain
revenge your grudge against my cousin？
DE GUICHE： My fair lady is on his side？
ROXANE： Nay；against him！
DE GUICHE： Do you see him often？
ROXANE： But very rarely。
DE GUICHE： He is ever to be met now in company with one of the
cadets；。 。 。one New villenviller
ROXANE： Of high stature？
DE GUICHE： Fair…haired！
ROXANE： Ay； a red…headed fellow！
DE GUICHE： Handsome！。 。 。
ROXANE： Tut！
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
DE GUICHE： But dull…witted。
ROXANE： One would think so； to look at him！ （Changing her
tone）： How mean you to play your revenge on Cyrano？ Perchance
you think to put him i' the thick of the shots？ Nay； believe me； that were
a poor vengeancehe would love such a post better than aught else！ I
know the way to wound his pride far more keenly！
DE GUICHE： What then？ Tell。 。 。
ROXANE： If； when the regiment march to Arras； he were left here
with his beloved boon companions； the Cadets； to sit with crossed arms so
long as the war lasted！ There is your method； would you enrage a man of
his kind； cheat him of his chance of mortal danger； and you punish him
right fiercely。
DE GUICHE （coming nearer）： O woman！ woman！ Who but a
woman had e'er devised so subtle a trick？
ROXANE： See you not how he will eat out his heart； while his
friends gnaw their thick fists for that they are deprived of the battle？ So
are you best avenged。
DE GUICHE： You love me； then； a little？ （She smiles）： I would
fainseeing you thus espouse my cause； Roxanebelieve it