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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！
LE BRET （dragging him toward the right）： Come！ Through the chapel！ 'Tis the quickest way！
ROXANE （appearing on the steps； and seeing Le Bret go away by the colonnade leading to the chapel door）： Monsieur le Bret！ （Le Bret and Ragueneau disappear without answering）： Le Bret goeswhen I call！ 'Tis some new trouble of good Ragueneau's。
（She descends the steps。）
Scene 5。IV。
Roxane alone。 Two sisters； for a moment。
ROXANE： Ah！ what a beauty in September's close！ My sorrow's eased。 April's joy dazzled it； But autumn wins it with her dying calm。 （She seats herself at the embroidery frame。 Two sisters come out of the house； and bring a large armchair under the tree）： There comes the famous armchair where he sits； Dear faithful friend！
SISTER MARTHA： It is the parlor's best！
ROXANE： Thanks； sister。 （The sisters go）： He'll be here now。 （She seats herself。 A clock strikes）： The hour strikes。 My silks？Why； now； the hour's struck！ How strange To be behind his time； at last； to…day！ Perhaps the portresswhere's my thimble？。 。 。 Here！Is preaching to him。 （A pause）： Yes； she must be preaching！ Surely he must come soon！Ah； a dead leaf！ （She brushes off the leaf from her work）： Nothing； besides； couldscissors？In my bag！ Could hinder him。 。 。
A SISTER （coming to the steps）： Monsieur de Bergerac。
Scene 5。V。
Roxane； Cyrano and； for a moment； Sister Martha。
ROXANE （without turning round）： What was I saying？。 。 。 （She embroiders。 Cyrano； very pale； his hat pulled down over his eyes； appears。 The sister who had announced him retires。 He descends the steps slowly； with a visible difficulty in holding himself upright； bearing heavily on his cane。 Roxane still works at her tapestry）： Time has dimmed the tints。 。 。 How harmonize them now？ （To Cyrano； with playful reproach）： For the first time Late！For the first time； all these fourteen years！ CYRANO （who has succeeded in reaching the chair； and has seated himselfin a lively voice； which is in great contrast with his pale face）： Ay！ It is villainous！ I ragedwas stayed。 。 。
ROXANE： By？。 。 。
CYRANO： By a bold； unwelcome visitor。
ROXANE （absently； working）： Some creditor？
CYRANO： Ay； cousin；the last creditor Who has a debt to claim from me。
ROXANE： And you Have paid it？
CYRANO： No； not yet！ I put it off； Said； 'Cry you mercy； this is Saturday； When I have get a standing rendezvous That naught defers。 Call in an hour's time！'
ROXANE （carelessly）： Oh； well； a creditor can always wait！ I shall not let you go ere twilight falls。
CYRANO： Haply； perforce； I quit you ere it falls！
（He shuts his eyes； and is silent for a moment。 Sister Martha crosses the park from the chapel to the flight of steps。 Roxane； seeing her； signs to her to approach。）
ROXANE （to Cyrano）： How now？ You have not teased the Sister？
CYRANO （hastily opening his eyes）： True！ （In a comically loud voice）： Sister！ come here！ （The sister glides up to him）： Ha！ ha！ What？ Those bright eyes Bent ever on the ground？
SISTER MARTHA （who makes a movement of astonishment on seeing his face）： Oh！
CYRANO （in a whisper； pointing to Roxane）： Hush！ 'tis naught！ （Loudly； in a blustering voice）： I broke fast yesterday！
SISTER MARTHA （aside）： I know； I know！ That's how he is so pale！ Come presently To the refectory； I'll make you drink A famous bowl of soup。 。 。You'll come？
CYRANO： Ay； ay！
SISTER MARTHA： There； see！ You are more reasonable to…day！
ROXANE （who hears them whispering）： The Sister would convert you？
SISTER MARTHA： Nay； not I！
CYRANO： Hold！ but it's true！ You preach to me no more； You； once so glib with holy words！ I am Astonished！。 。 。 （With burlesque fury）： Stay； I will surprise you too！ Hark！ I permit you。 。 。 （He pretends to be seeking for something to tease her with； and to have found it）： 。 。 。It is something new！ Topray for me； to…night； at chapel…time！
ROXANE： Oh！ oh！
CYRANO （laughing）： Good Sister Martha is struck dumb！
SISTER MARTHA （gently）： I did not wait your leave to pray for you。
（She goes out。）
CYRANO （turning to Roxane； who is still bending over her work）： That tapestry！ Beshrew me if my eyes Will ever see it finished！
ROXANE： I was sure To hear that well…known jest！
（A light breeze causes the leaves to fall。）
CYRANO： The autumn leaves！
ROXANE （lifting her head； and looking down the distant alley）： Soft golden brown； like a Venetian's hair。 See how they fall！
CYRANO： Ay； see how brave they fall； In their last journey downward from the bough； To rot within the clay； yet； lovely still； Hiding the horror of the last decay； With all the wayward grace of careless flight！
ROXANE： What； melancholyyou？
CYRANO （collecting himself）： Nay； nay； Roxane！
ROXANE： Then let the dead leaves fall the way they will。 。 。 And chat。 What； have you nothing new to tell； My Court Gazette？
CYRANO： Listen。
ROXANE： Ah！
CY