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to Court and City alike； can tell me better than any who the lady is for
whom I die of love。 Stay yet awhile。
THE FIRST VIOLIN （striking his bow on the desk）： Gentlemen
violinists！
（He raises his bow。）
THE BUFFET…GIRL： Macaroons； lemon…drink。 。 。
（The violins begin to play。）
CHRISTIAN： Ah！ I fear me she is coquettish； and over nice and
fastidious！ I； who am so poor of wit； how dare I speak to herhow address
her？ This language that they speak to…dayay； and writeconfounds me； I
am but an honest soldier； and timid withal。 She has ever her place； there；
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on the rightthe empty box； see you！
LIGNIERE （making as if to go）： I must go。
CHRISTIAN （detaining him）： Nay； stay。
LIGNIERE： I cannot。 D'Assoucy waits me at the tavern； and here
one dies of thirst。
THE BUFFET…GIRL （passing before him with a tray）： Orange
drink？
LIGNIERE： Ugh！
THE BUFFET…GIRL： Milk？
LIGNIERE： Pah！
THE BUFFET…GIRL： Rivesalte？
LIGNIERE： Stay。 （To Christian）： I will remain awhile。Let me
taste this rivesalte。
（He sits by the buffet； the girl pours some out for him。）
CRIES （from all the audience； at the entrance of a plump little man；
joyously excited）： Ah！ Ragueneau！
LIGNIERE （to Christian）： 'Tis the famous tavern…keeper
Ragueneau。
RAGUENEAU （dressed in the Sunday clothes of a pastry…cook； going
up quickly to Ligniere）： Sir； have you seen Monsieur de Cyrano？
LIGNIERE （introducing him to Christian）： The pastry…cook of the
actors and the poets！
RAGUENEAU （overcome）： You do me too great honor。 。 。
LIGNIERE： Nay； hold your peace； Maecenas that you are！
RAGUENEAU： True； these gentlemen employ me。 。 。
LIGNIERE： On credit！ He is himself a poet of a pretty talent。 。 。
RAGUENEAU： So they tell me。
LIGNIERE： Mad after poetry！
RAGUENEAU： 'Tis true that； for a little ode。 。 。
LIGNIERE： You give a tart。 。 。
RAGUENEAU： Oh！a tartlet！
LIGNIERE： Brave fellow！ He would fain fain excuse himself！
And for a triolet； now； did you not give in exchange。 。 。
RAGUENEAU： Some little rolls！
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
LIGNIERE （severely）： They were milk…rolls！ And as for the
theater； which you love？
RAGUENEAU： Oh！ to distraction！
LIGNIERE： How pay you your tickets； ha？with cakes。 Your
place； to…night； come tell me in my ear； what did it cost you？
RAGUENEAU： Four custards； and fifteen cream…puffs。 （He looks
around on all sides）： Monsieur de Cyrano is not here？ 'Tis strange。
LIGNIERE： Why so？
RAGUENEAU： Montfleury plays！
LIGNIERE： Ay； 'tis true that that old wine…barrel is to take Phedon's
part to…night； but what matter is that to Cyrano？
RAGUENEAU： How？ Know you not？ He has got a hot hate for
Montfleury； and so！has forbid him strictly to show his face on the stage
for one whole month。
LIGNIERE （drinking his fourth glass）： Well？
RAGUENEAU： Montfleury will play！
CUIGY： He can not hinder that。
RAGUENEAU： Oh！ oh！ that I have come to see！
FIRST MARQUIS： Who is this Cyrano？
CUIGY： A fellow well skilled in all tricks of fence。
SECOND MARQUIS： Is he of noble birth？
CUIGY： Ay； noble enough。 He is a cadet in the Guards。 （Pointing
to a gentleman who is going up and down the hall as if searching for some
one）： But 'tis his friend Le Bret； yonder； who can best tell you。 （He
calls him）： Le Bret！ （Le Bret comes towards them）： Seek you for De
Bergerac？
LE BRET： Ay； I am uneasy。 。 。
CUIGY： Is it not true that he is the strangest of men？
LE BRET （tenderly）： True； that he is the choicest of earthly beings！
RAGUENEAU： Poet！
CUIGY： Soldier！
BRISSAILLE： Philosopher！
LE BRET： Musician！
LIGNIERE： And of how fantastic a presence！
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC
RAGENEAU： Marry； 'twould puzzle even our grim painter
Philippe de Champaigne to portray him！ Methinks； whimsical； wild；
comical as he is； only Jacques Callot； now dead and gone； had succeeded
better； and had made of him the maddest fighter of all his visored crew
with his triple…plumed beaver and six…pointed doubletthe sword…point
sticking up 'neath his mantle like an insolent cocktail！ He's prouder than
all the fierce Artabans of whom Gascony has ever been and will ever be
the prolific Alma Mater！ Above his Toby ruff he carries a nose！ah；
good my lords； what a nose is his！ When one sees it one is fain to cry
aloud； 'Nay！ 'tis too much！ He plays a joke on us！' Then one laughs；
says 'He will anon take it off。' But no！Monsieur de Bergerac always
keeps it on。
LE BRET （throwing back his head）： He keeps it onand cleaves in
two any man who dares remark on it！
RAGUENEAU （proudly）： His sword'tis one half of the Fates'
shears！
FIRST MARQUIS （shrugging his shoulders）： He will not come！
RAGUENEAU： I say he will！ and I wager a fowla la Ragueneau。
THE MARQUIS （laughing）： Good！
（Murmurs of admiration in hall。 Roxane has just appeared in her box。
She seats herself in front； the duenna at the back。 Christian； who is
paying the buffet…girl； does not see her entrance。）
SECOND MARQUIS （with little cries of joy）： Ah； gentlemen！ she
is fearfullyterriblyravishing！
FIRST MARQUIS： When one looks at her one thinks of a peach
smiling at a strawberry！
SECOND MARQUIS： And what freshness！ A man approaching
her too near might chance to get a bad chill at the heart！
CHRISTIAN （raising his head； sees Roxane； and catches Ligniere by
the arm）： 'Tis she！
LIGNIERE： Ah！ is it she？
CHRISTIAN： Ay； tell m