按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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！
CYRANO （growing whiter and whiter）： Saturday The nineteenth： having eaten to excess Of pear…conserve； the King felt feverish； The lancet quelled this treasonable revolt； And the august pulse beats at normal pace。 At the Queen's ball on Sunday thirty score Of best white waxen tapers were consumed。 Our troops； they say； have chased the Austrians。 Four sorcerers were hanged。 The little dog Of Madame d'Athis took a dose。 。 。
ROXANE： I bid You hold your tongue； Monsieur de Bergerac！
CYRANO： Mondaynot muchClaire changed protector。
ROXANE： Oh！
CYRANO （whose face changes more and more）： Tuesday； the Court repaired to Fontainebleau。 Wednesday； the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque。 。 。 No！ ThursdayMancini； Queen of France！ （almost！） Friday； the Monglat to Count Fiesque said'Yes！' And Saturday the twenty…sixth。 。 。
（He closes his eyes。 His head falls forward。 Silence。）
ROXANE （surprised at his voice ceasing； turns round； looks at him； and rising； terrified）： He swoons！ （She runs toward him crying）： Cyrano！
CYRANO （opening his eyes； in an unconcerned voice）： What is this？ （He sees Roxane bending over him； and； hastily pressing his hat on his head； and shrinking back in his chair）： Nay； on my word 'Tis nothing！ Let me be！
ROXANE： But。 。 。
CYRANO： That old wound Of Arras； sometimes；as you know。 。 。
ROXANE： Dear friend！
CYRANO： 'Tis nothing； 'twill pass soon； （He smiles with an effort）： See！it has passed！
ROXANE： Each of us has his wound； ay； I have mine； Never healed upnot healed yet； my old wound！ （She puts her hand on her breast）： 'Tis here； beneath this letter brown with age； All stained with tear…drops； and still stained with blood。
（Twilight begins to fall。）
CYRANO： His letter！ Ah！ you promised me one day That I should read it。
ROXANE： What would you？His letter？
CYRANO： Yes； I would fain；to…day。 。 。
ROXANE （giving the bag hung at her neck）： See！ here it is！
CYRANO （taking it）： Have I your leave to open？
ROXANE： Openread！
（She comes back to her tapestry frame； folds it up； sorts her wools。）
CYRANO （reading）： 'Roxane； adieu！ I soon must die！ This very night； beloved； and I Feel my soul heavy with love untold。 I die！ No more； as in days of old； My loving； longing eyes will feast On your least gestureay； the least！ I mind me the way you touch your cheek With your finger； softly； as you speak！ Ah me！ I know that gesture well！ My heart cries out！I cry 〃Farewell〃！'
ROXANE： But how you read that letter！ One would think。 。 。
CYRANO （continuing to read）： 'My life； my love； my jewel； my sweet； My heart has been yours in every beat！'
（The shades of evening fall imperceptibly。）
ROXANE： You read in such a voiceso strangeand yet It is not the first time I hear that voice！
（She comes nearer very softly； without his perceiving it； passes behind his chair； and； noiselessly leaning over him； looks at the letter。 The darkness deepens。）
CYRANO： 'Here； dying； and there； in the land on high； I am he who loved； who loves you；I。 。 。'
ROXANE （putting her hand on his shoulder）： How can you read？ It is too dark to see！ （He starts； turns； sees her close to him。 Suddenly alarmed； he holds his head down。 Then in the dusk； which has now completely enfolded them； she says； very slowly； with clasped hands）： And； fourteen years long； he has played this part Of the kind old friend who comes to laugh and chat。
CYRANO： Roxane！
ROXANE： 'Twas you！
CYRANO： No； never； Roxane； no！
ROXANE： I should have guessed； each time he said my name！
CYRANO： No； it was not I！
ROXANE： It was you！
CYRANO： I swear！
ROXANE： I see through all the generous counterfeit The lettersyou！
CYRANO： No。
ROXANE： The sweet； mad love…words！ You！
CYRANO： No！
ROXANE： The voice that thrilled the nightyou； you！
CYRANO： I swear you err。
ROXANE： The soulit was your soul！
CYRANO： I loved you not。
ROXANE： You loved me not？
CYRANO： 'Twas he！
ROXANE： You loved me！
CYRANO： No！
ROXANE： See！ how you falter now！
CYRANO： No； my sweet love； I never loved you！
ROXANE： Ah！ Things dead； long dead； see！ how they rise again！ Why； why keep silence all these fourteen years； When； on this letter； which he never wrote； The tears were your tears？
CYRANO （holding out the letter to her）： The bloodstains were his。
ROXANE： Why； then； that noble silence；kept so long Broken to…day for the first timewhy？
CYRANO： Why？。 。 。
（Le Bret and Ragueneau enter running。）
Scene 5。VI。
The same。 Le Bret and Ragueneau。
LE BRET： What madness！ Here？ I knew it well！
CYRANO （smiling and sitting up）： What now？
LE BRET： He has brought his death by coming； Madame。
ROXANE： God！ Ah； then！ that faintness of a moment since。 。 。？
CYRANO： Why； true！ It interrupted the 'Gazette：' 。 。 。Saturday； twenty…sixth； at dinner…time； Assassination of De Bergerac。
（He takes off his hat； they see his head bandaged。）
ROXANE： What says he？ Cyrano！His head all bound！ Ah； what has chanced？ How？Who？。 。 。
CYRANO： 'To be struck down； Pierced by sword i' the heart； from a hero's hand！' That I had dreamed。 O mockery of Fate！ Killed； I！ of all menin an ambuscade！ Struck from behind； and by a lackey's hand！ 'Tis very well。 I am foiled； foiled in all； Even in my death。
RAGUENEAU： Ah； Monsieur！。 。 。
CYRANO （holding out his hand to him）： Ragueneau； Weep not so bitterly！。 。 。What do you now； Old comrade？
RAGUENEAU （amid his tears）： Trim the lights for Moliere's stage。
CYRANO： Moliere！
RAGUENEAU： Yes； but I shall leave to…morrow。 I cannot bear it！Yesterday； they played 'Scapin'I saw he'd thieved a scene from you！
LE BRET： What！ a whole scene？
RAGUENEAU： Oh； yes； indeed； Monsieur； The famous one； 'Que Diable allait…il faire？'
LE BRET： Moliere has stolen that？
CYRANO： Tut！ He did well！。 。 。 （to Ragueneau）： How went the scene？ It toldI think it told？
RAGUENEAU （sobbing）： Ah！ how they laughed！
CYRANO： Look you； it was my life To be the prompter every one forgets！ （To Roxane）： That night when 'neath your window Christian spoke Under your balcony； you remember？ Well！ There was the allegory of my whole life： I； in the shadow； at the ladder's foot； While others lightly mount to Love and Fame！ Just！ very just！ Here on the threshold drear Of death； I pay my tribute with the rest； To Moliere's genius；Christian's fair face！ （The chapel…bell chimes。 The nuns are seen passing down the alley at the back； to say their office）： Let them go pray； go pray； when the bell rings！
ROXANE （rising and calling）： Sister！ Sister！
CYRANO （holding her fast）： Call no one。 Leave me not； When you come back； I should be gone for aye。 （The nuns have all entered the chapel。 The organ sounds）： I was somewhat fain for musichar