Act III, Scene x
| Cyrano, Christian, Roxane, the friar, Ragueneau. |
| THE FRIAR: |
 'Tis here,—I'm sure of it—Madame Madeleine Robin. |
| CYRANO: |
| Why, you said Ro-LIN. |
| THE FRIAR: |
| No, not I. |
| B,I,N,BIN! |
| ROXANE (appearing on the threshold, followed by Ragueneau, who carries a |
| lantern, and Christian): |
| What is't? |
| THE FRIAR: |
| A letter. |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| What? |
| THE FRIAR (to Roxane): |
| Oh, it can boot but a holy business! |
| 'Tis from a worthy lord. . . |
| ROXANE (to Christian): |
| De Guiche! |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| He dares. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| Oh, he will not importune me forever! |
| (Unsealing the letter): |
| I love you,—therefore— |
| (She reads in a low voice by the aid of Ragueneau's lantern): |
| 'Lady, |
| The drums beat; |
| My regiment buckles its harness on |
| And starts; but I,—they deem me gone before— |
| But I stay. I have dared to disobey |
| Your mandate. I am here in convent walls. |
| I come to you to-night. By this poor monk— |
| A simple fool who knows not what he bears— |
| I send this missive to apprise your ear. |
| Your lips erewhile have smiled on me, too sweet: |
| I go not ere I've seen them once again! |
| I would be private; send each soul away, |
| Receive alone him,—whose great boldness you |
| Have deigned, I hope, to pardon, ere he asks,— |
| He who is ever your—et cetera.' |
| (To the monk): |
| Father, this is the matter of the letter:— |
| (All come near her, and she reads aloud): |
| 'Lady, |
| The Cardinal's wish is law; albeit |
| It be to you unwelcome. For this cause |
| I send these lines—to your fair ear addressed— |
| By a holy man, discreet, intelligent: |
| It is our will that you receive from him, |
| In your own house, the marriage |
| (She turns the page): |
| benediction |
| Straightway, this night. Unknown to all the world |
| Christian becomes your husband. Him we send. |
| He is abhorrent to your choice. Let be. |
| Resign yourself, and this obedience |
| Will be by Heaven well recompensed. Receive, |
| Fair lady, all assurance of respect, |
| From him who ever was, and still remains, |
| Your humble and obliged—et cetera.' |
| THE FRIAR (with great delight): |
| O worthy lord! I knew naught was to fear; |
| It could be but holy business! |
| ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice): |
| Am I not apt at reading letters? |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| Hum! |
| ROXANE (aloud, with despair): |
| But this is horrible! |
| THE FRIAR (who has turned his lantern on Cyrano): |
| 'Tis you? |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| 'Tis I! |
| THE FRIAR (turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing |
| his beauty): |
| But. . . |
| ROXANE (quickly): |
| I have overlooked the postscript—see:— |
| 'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.' |
| THE FRIAR: |
| . . .Oh! |
| Most worthy lord! |
| (To Roxane): |
| Submit you? |
| ROXANE (with a martyr's look): |
| I submit! |
| (While Ragueneau opens the door, and Christian invites the friar to enter, she |
| whispers to Cyrano): |
| Oh, keep De Guiche at bay! He will be here! |
| Let him not enter till. . . |
| CYRANO: |
| I understand! |
| (To the friar): |
| What time need you to tie the marriage-knot? |
| THE FRIAR: |
| A quarter of an hour. |
| CYRANO (pushing them all toward the house): |
| Go! I stay. |
| ROXANE (to Christian): |
| Come!. . . |
| (They enter.) |
| CYRANO: |
| Now, how to detain De Guiche so long? |
| (He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall): |
| Come!. . .up I go!. . .I have my plan!. . . |
| (The lutes begin to play a very sad air): |
| What, ho! |
| (The tremolo grows more and more weird): |
| It is a man! ay! 'tis a man this time! |
| (He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps |
| himself in his cloak, then leans over): |
| 'Tis not too high! |
| (He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the |
| trees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to |
| let himself fall): |
| I'll shake this atmosphere! |
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