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CHRISTIAN： He dares。 。 。
ROXANE： Oh； he will not importune me forever！ （Unsealing the
letter）： I love you；therefore （She reads in a low voice by the aid of
Ragueneau's lantern）： 'Lady； The drums beat； My regiment
buckles its harness on And starts； but I；they deem me gone before
But I stay。 I have dared to disobey Your mandate。 I am here in
convent walls。 I come to you to…night。 By this poor monk A
simple fool who knows not what he bears I send this missive to
apprise your ear。 Your lips erewhile have smiled on me； too sweet： I
go not ere I've seen them once again！ I would be private； send each
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soul away； Receive alone him；whose great boldness you Have
deigned； I hope； to pardon； ere he asks； He who is ever youret
cetera。' （To the monk）： Father； this is the matter of the letter： （All
come near her； and she reads aloud）： 'Lady； The Cardinal's wish is
law； albeit It be to you unwelcome。 For this cause I send these
linesto your fair ear addressed By a holy man； discreet； intelligent：
It is our will that you receive from him； In your own house； the
marriage （She turns the page）： benediction Straightway； this
night。 Unknown to all the world Christian becomes your husband。
Him we send。 He is abhorrent to your choice。 Let be。 Resign
yourself； and this obedience Will be by Heaven well recompensed。
Receive； Fair lady； all assurance of respect； From him who ever was；
and still remains； Your humble and obligedet cetera。'
THE FRIAR （with great delight）： O worthy lord！ I knew naught
was to fear； It could be but holy business！
ROXANE （to Christian； in a low voice）： Am I not apt at reading
letters？
CHRISTIAN： Hum！
ROXANE （aloud； with despair）： But this is horrible！
THE FRIAR （who has turned his lantern on Cyrano）： 'Tis you？
CHRISTIAN： 'Tis I！
THE FRIAR （turning the light on to him； and as if a doubt struck him
on seeing his beauty）： But。 。 。
ROXANE （quickly）： I have overlooked the postscriptsee：
'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent。'
THE FRIAR： 。 。 。Oh！ Most worthy lord！ （To Roxane）：
Submit you？
ROXANE （with a martyr's look）： I submit！ （While Ragueneau
opens the door； and Christian invites the friar to enter； she whispers to
Cyrano）： Oh； keep De Guiche at bay！ He will be here！ Let him not
enter till。 。 。
CYRANO： I understand！ （To the friar）： What time need you to
tie the marriage…knot？
THE FRIAR： A quarter of an hour。
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
CYRANO （pushing them all toward the house）： Go！ I stay。
ROXANE （to Christian）： Come！。 。 。
（They enter。）
CYRANO： Now； how to detain De Guiche so long？ （He jumps on
the bench； climbs to the balcony by the wall）： Come！。 。 。up I go！。 。 。I
have my plan！。 。 。 （The lutes begin to play a very sad air）： What； ho！
（The tremolo grows more and more weird）： It is a man！ ay！ 'tis a man
this time！ （He is on the balcony； pulls his hat over his eyes； takes off his
sword； wraps himself in his cloak； then leans over）： 'Tis not too high！
（He strides across the balcony； and drawing to him a long branch of one of
the trees that are by the garden wall； he hangs on to it with both hands；
ready to let himself fall）： I'll shake this atmosphere！
SCENE 3。XI。
Cyrano； De Guiche。
DE GUICHE （who enters； masked； feeling his way in the dark）：
What can that cursed Friar be about？
CYRANO： The devil！。 。 。If he knows my voice！ （Letting go with
one hand； he pretends to turn an invisible key。 Solemnly）： Cric！
Crac！ Assume thou； Cyrano； to serve the turn； The accent of thy
native Bergerac！。 。 。
DE GUICHE （looking at the house）： 'Tis there。 I see dim；this
mask hinders me！ （He is about to enter； when Cyrano leaps from the
balcony； holding on to the branch； which bends； dropping him between the
door and De Guiche； he pretends to fall heavily； as from a great height；
and lies flat on the ground； motionless； as if stunned。 De Guiche starts
back）： What's this？ （When he looks up； the branch has sprung back into
its place。 He sees only the sky； and is lost in amazement）： Where fell
that man from？
CYRANO （sitting up； and speaking with a Gascon accent）： From
the moon！
DE GUICHE： From？。 。 。
CYRANO （in a dreamy voice）： What's o'clock？
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DE GUICHE： He's lost his mind； for sure！
CYRANO： What hour？ What country this？ What month？
What day？
DE GUICHE： But。 。 。
CYRANO： I am stupefied！
DE GUICHE： Sir！
CYRANO： Like a bomb I fell from the moon！
DE GUICHE （impatiently）： Come now！
CYRANO （rising； in a terrible voice）： I say；the moon！
DE GUICHE （recoiling）： Good； good！ let it be so！。 。 。He's raving
mad！
CYRANO （walking up to him）： I say from the moon！ I mean no
metaphor！。 。 。
DE GUICHE： But。 。 。
CYRANO： Was't a hundred yearsa minute； since？ I cannot
guess what time that fall embraced！ That I was in that saffron…colored
ball？
DE GUICHE （shrugging his shoulders）： Good！ let me pass！
CYRANO （intercepting him）： Where am I？ Tell the truth！ Fear
not to tell！ Oh； spare me not！ Where？ where？ Have I fallen like a
shooting star？
DE GUICHE： Morbleu！
CYRANO： The fall was lightning…quick！ no time to choose
Where I should f