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CYRANO: More often still。
CHRISTIAN: What! Every day?
CYRANO: Yes; every day;twice。
CHRISTIAN (violently): And that became so mad a joy for you; that you braved death。 。 。
CYRANO (seeing Roxane returning): Hush! Not before her!
(He goes hurriedly into his tent。)
Scene 4。VIII。
Roxane; Christian。 In the distance cadets coming and going。 Carbon and De Guiche give orders。
ROXANE (running up to Christian): Ah; Christian; at last!。 。 。
CHRISTIAN (taking her hands): Now tell me why Why; by these fearful paths so perilous Across these ranks of ribald soldiery; You have come?
ROXANE: Love; your letters brought me here!
CHRISTIAN: What say you?
ROXANE: 'Tis your fault if I ran risks! Your letters turned my head! Ah! all this month; How many!and the last one ever bettered The one that went before!
CHRISTIAN: What!for a few Inconsequent love…letters!
ROXANE: Hold your peace! Ah! you cannot conceive it! Ever since That night; when; in a voice all new to me; Under my window you revealed your soul Ah! ever since I have adored you! Now Your letters all this whole month long!meseemed As if I heard that voice so tender; true; Sheltering; close! Thy fault; I say! It drew me; The voice o' th' night! Oh! wise Penelope Would ne'er have stayed to broider on her hearthstone; If her Ulysses could have writ such letters! But would have cast away her silken bobbins; And fled to join him; mad for love as Helen!
CHRISTIAN: But。 。 。
ROXANE: I read; read againgrew faint for love; I was thine utterly。 Each separate page Was like a fluttering flower…petal; loosed From your own soul; and wafted thus to mine。 Imprinted in each burning word was love Sincere; all…powerful。 。 。
CHRISTIAN: A love sincere! Can that be felt; Roxane!
ROXANE: Ay; that it can!
CHRISTIAN: You come。 。 。?
ROXANE: O; Christian; my true lord; I come (Were I to throw myself; here; at your knees; You would raise mebut 'tis my soul I lay At your feetyou can raise it nevermore!) I come to crave your pardon。 (Ay; 'tis time To sue for pardon; now that death may come!) For the insult done to you when; frivolous; At first I loved you only for your face!
CHRISTIAN (horror…stricken): Roxane!
ROXANE: And later; loveless frivolous Like a bird that spreads its wings; but can not fly Arrested by your beauty; by your soul Drawn closeI loved for both at once!
CHRISTIAN: And now?
ROXANE: Ah! you yourself have triumphed o'er yourself; And now; I love you only for your soul!
CHRISTIAN (stepping backward): Roxane!
ROXANE: Be happy。 To be loved for beauty A poor disguise that time so soon wears threadbare Must be to noble soulsto souls aspiring A torture。 Your dear thoughts have now effaced That beauty that so won me at the outset。 Now I see clearerand I no more see it!
CHRISTIAN: Oh!。 。 。
ROXANE: You are doubtful of such victory?
CHRISTIAN (pained): Roxane!
ROXANE: I see you cannot yet believe it。 Such love。 。 。?
CHRISTIAN: I do not ask such love as that! I would be loved more simply; for。 。 。
ROXANE: For that Which they have all in turns loved in thee? Shame! Oh! be loved henceforth in a better way!
CHRISTIAN: No! the first love was best!
ROXANE: Ah! how you err! 'Tis now that I love bestlove well! 'Tis that Which is thy true self; see!that I adore! Were your brilliance dimmed。 。 。
CHRISTIAN: Hush!
ROXANE: I should love still! Ay; if your beauty should to…day depart。 。 。
CHRISTIAN: Say not so!
ROXANE: Ay; I say it!
CHRISTIAN: Ugly? How?
ROXANE: Ugly! I swear I'd love you still!
CHRISTIAN: My God!
ROXANE: Are you content at last?
CHRISTIAN (in a choked voice): Ay!。 。 。
ROXANE: What is wrong?
CHRISTIAN (gently pushing her away): Nothing。 。 。I have two words to say:one second。 。 。
ROXANE: But?。 。 。
CHRISTIAN (pointing to the cadets): Those poor fellows; shortly doomed to death; My love deprives them of the sight of you: Go;speak to themsmile on them ere they die!
ROXANE (deeply affected): Dear Christian!。 。 。
(She goes up to the cadets; who respectfully crowd round her。)
Scene 4。IX。
Christian; Cyrano。 At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets。
CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent): Cyrano!
CYRANO (reappearing; fully armed): What? Why so pale?
CHRISTIAN: She does not love me!
CYRANO: What?
CHRISTIAN: 'Tis you she loves!
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: For she loves me only for my soul!
CYRANO: Truly?
CHRISTIAN: Yes! Thusyou see; that soul is you;。 。 。 Therefore; 'tis you she loves!And youlove her!
CYRANO: I?
CHRISTIAN: Oh; I know it!
CYRANO: Ay; 'tis true!
CHRISTIAN: You love To madness!
CYRANO: Ay! and worse!
CHRISTIAN: Then tell her so!
CYRANO: No!
CHRISTIAN: And why not?
CYRANO: Look at my face!be answered!
CHRISTIAN: She'd love mewere I ugly。
CYRANO: Said she so?
CHRISTIAN: Ay! in those words!
CYRANO: I'm glad she told you that! But pooh!believe it not! I am well pleased She thought to tell you。 Take it not for truth。 Never grow ugly:she'd reproach me then!
CHRISTIAN: That I intend discovering!
CYRANO: No! I beg!
CHRISTIAN: Ay! she shall choose between us!Tell her all!
CYRANO: No! no! I will not have it! Spare me this!
CHRISTIAN: Because my face is haply fair; shall I Destroy your happiness? 'Twere too unjust!
CYRANO: And I;because by Nature's freak I have The gift to sayall that perchance you feel。 Shall I be fatal to your happiness?
CHRISTIAN: Tell all!
CYRANO: It is ill done to tempt me thus!
CHRISTIAN: Too long I've borne about within myself A rival to myselfI'll make an end!
CYRANO: Christian!
CHRISTIAN: Or union; without witnesssecret Clandestinecan be easily dissolved If we survive。
CYRANO: My God!he still persists!
CHRISTIAN: I will be loved myselfor not at all! I'll go see what they dothere; at the end Of the post: speak to her; and then let her choose One of us two!
CYRANO: It will be you。
CHRISTIAN: Pray God! (He calls): Roxane!
CYRANO: No! no!
ROXANE (coming up quickly): What?
CHRISTIAN: Cyrano has things Important for your ear。 。 。
(She hastens to Cyrano。 Christian goes out。)
Scene 4。X。
Roxane; Cyrano。 Then Le Bret; Carbon de Castel…Jaloux; the cadets; Ragueneau; De Guiche; etc。
ROXANE: Important; how?
CYRANO (in despair。 to Roxane): He's gone! 'Tis naught!Oh; you know how he sees Importance in a trifle!
ROXANE (warmly): Did he doubt Of what I said?Ah; yes; I saw he doubted!
CYRANO (taking her hand): But are you sure you told him all the truth?
ROXANE: Yes; I would love him were he。 。 。
(She hesitates。)
CYRANO: Does that word Embarrass you before my face; Roxane?
ROXANE: I。 。 。
CYRANO (smiling sadly): 'Twill not hurt me! Say it! If he were Ugly!。 。 。
ROXANE: Yes; ugly! (Musket report outside): Hark! I hear a shot!
CY