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SISTER MARTHA： He'll say we nuns are vain！
SISTER CLAIRE： And greedy！
MOTHER MARGUERITE （smiling）： Ay； and kind！
SISTER CLAIRE： Is it not true； pray； Mother Marguerite； That
he has come； each week； on Saturday For ten years； to the convent？
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Ay！ and more！ Ever sincefourteen
years agothe day His cousin brought here； 'midst our woolen coifs；
The worldly mourning of her widow's veil； Like a blackbird's wing
among the convent doves！
SISTER MARTHA： He only has the skill to turn her mind From
griefunsoftened yet by Timeunhealed！
ALL THE SISTERS： He is so droll！It's cheerful when he comes！
He teases us！But we all like him well！ We make him pasties of
angelica！
SISTER MARTHA： But； he is not a faithful Catholic！
SISTER CLAIRE： We will convert him！
THE SISTERS： Yes！ Yes！
MOTHER MARGUERITE： I forbid； My daughters； you attempt
that subject。 Nay； Weary him nothe might less oft come here！
SISTER MARTHA： But。 。 。God。 。 。
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Nay； never fear！ God knows him
well！
SISTER MARTHA： Butevery Saturday； when he arrives； He
tells me； 'Sister； I eat meat on Friday！'
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Ah！ says he so？ Well； the last time
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he came Food had not passed his lips for two whole days！
SISTER MARTHA： Mother！
MOTHER MARGUERITE： He's poor。
SISTER MARTHA： Who told you so； dear Mother？
MOTHER MARGUERITE： Monsieur Le Bret。
SISTER MARTHA： None help him？
MOTHER MARGUERITE： He permits not。 （In an alley at the back
Roxane appears； dressed in black； with a widow's coif and veil。 De
Guiche； imposing…looking and visibly aged； walks by her side。 They
saunter slowly。 Mother Marguerite rises）： 'Tis time we go in； Madame
Madeleine Walks in the garden with a visitor。
SISTER MARTHA （to Sister Claire； in a low voice）： The Marshal
of Grammont？
SISTER CLAIRE （looking at him）： 'Tis he； I think。
SISTER MARTHA： 'Tis many months now since he came to see
her。
THE SISTERS： He is so busy！The Court；the camp！。 。 。
SISTER CLAIRE： The world！
（They go out。 De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence； and
stop close to the embroidery frame。）
SCENE 5。II。
Roxane； the Duke de Grammont； formerly Count de Guiche。 Then
Le Bret and Ragueneau。
THE DUKE： And you stay here stillever vainly fair； Ever in
weeds？
ROXANE： Ever。
THE DUKE： Still faithful？
ROXANE： Still。
THE DUKE （after a pause）： Am I forgiven？
ROXANE： Ay； since I am here。
（Another pause。）
THE DUKE： His was a soul； you say？。 。 。
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ROXANE： Ah！when you knew him！
THE DUKE： Ah； may be！。 。 。I； perchance； too little knew
him！ 。 。 。And his last letter； ever next your heart？
ROXANE： Hung from this chain； a gentle scapulary。
THE DUKE： And； dead； you love him still？
ROXANE： At times；meseems He is but partly deadour hearts
still speak； As if his love； still living； wrapped me round！
THE DUKE （after another pause）： Cyrano comes to see you？
ROXANE： Often； ay。 Dear； kind old friend！ We call him my
'Gazette。' He never fails to come： beneath this tree They place his
chair； if it be fine：I wait； I broider；the clock strikes；at the last
stroke I hear；for now I never turn to look Too sure to hear his
cane tap down the steps； He seats himself：with gentle raillery He
mocks my tapestry that's never done； He tells me all the gossip of the
week。 。 。 （Le Bret appears on the steps）： Why； here's Le Bret！ （Le Bret
descends）： How goes it with our friend？
LE BRET： Ill！very ill。
THE DUKE： How？
ROXANE （to the Duke）： He exaggerates！
LE BRET： All that I prophesied： desertion； want！。 。 。 His
letters now make him fresh enemies！ Attacking the sham nobles；
sham devout； Sham brave；the thieving authors；all the world！
ROXANE： Ah！ but his sword still holds them all in check； None
get the better of him。
THE DUKE （shaking his head）： Time will show！
LE BRET： Ah； but I fear for himnot man's attack； Solitude
hungercold December days； That wolf…like steal into his chamber
drear： Lo！ the assassins that I fear for him！ Each day he tightens
by one hole his belt： That poor nosetinted like old ivory： He has
retained one shabby suit of serge。
THE DUKE： Ay； there is one who has no prize of Fortune！ Yet
is not to be pitied！
LE BRET （with a bitter smile）： My Lord Marshal！。 。 。
THE DUKE： Pity him not！ He has lived out his vows； Free in
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his thoughts； as in his actions free！
LE BRET （in the same tone）： My Lord！。 。 。
THE DUKE （haughtily）： True！ I have all； and he has naught；。 。 。
Yet I were proud to take his hand！ （Bowing to Roxane）： Adieu！
ROXANE： I go with you。
（The Duke bows to Le Bret； and goes with Roxane toward the steps。）
THE DUKE （pausing； while she goes up）： Ay； true；I envy him。
Look you； when life is brimful of success Though the past hold no
action foulone feels A thousand self…disgusts； of which the sum Is
not remorse； but a dim； vague unrest； And； as one mounts the steps of
worldly fame； The Duke's furred mantles trail within their folds A
sound of dead illusions； vain regrets； A rustlescarce a whisperlike as
when； Mounting the terrace steps； by y