READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes i–v |
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Act IV, Scene v
| The same. Roxane. |
| DE GUICHE: |
 On the King's service! You? |
| ROXANE: |
| Ay,—King Love's! What other king? |
| CYRANO: |
| Great God! |
| CHRISTIAN (rushing forward): |
| Why have you come? |
| ROXANE: |
| This siege—'tis too long! |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| But why?. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| I will tell you all! |
| CYRANO (who, at the sound of her voice, has stood still, rooted to the ground, |
| afraid to raise his eyes): |
| My God! dare I look at her? |
| DE GUICHE: |
| You cannot remain here! |
| ROXANE (merrily): |
| But I say yes! Who will push a drum hither for me? |
| (She seats herself on the drum they roll forward): |
| So! I thank you. |
| (She laughs): |
| My carriage was fired at |
| (proudly): |
| by the patrol! Look! would you not think 'twas made of a pumpkin, like |
| Cinderella's chariot in the tale,—and the footmen out of rats? |
| (Sending a kiss with her lips to Christian): |
| Good-morrow! |
| (Examining them all): |
| You look not merry, any of you! Ah! know you that 'tis a long road to get |
| to Arras? |
| (Seeing Cyrano): |
| Cousin, delighted! |
| CYRANO (coming up to her): |
| But how, in Heaven's name?. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| How found I the way to the army? It was simple enough, for I had but to |
| pass on and on, as far as I saw the country laid waste. Ah, what horrors were |
| there! Had I not seen, then I could never have believed it! Well, gentlemen, |
| if such be the service of your King, I would fainer serve mine! |
| CYRANO: |
| But 'tis sheer madness! Where in the fiend's name did you get through? |
| ROXANE: |
| Where? Through the Spanish lines. |
| FIRST CADET: |
| —For subtle craft, give me a woman! |
| DE GUICHE: |
| But how did you pass through their lines? |
| LE BRET: |
| Faith! that must have been a hard matter!. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| None too hard. I but drove quietly forward in my carriage, and when some |
| hidalgo of haughty mien would have stayed me, lo! I showed at the window my |
| sweetest smile, and these Senors being (with no disrespect to you) the most |
| gallant gentlemen in the world,—I passed on! |
| CARBON: |
| True, that smile is a passport! But you must have been asked frequently to |
| give an account of where you were going, Madame? |
| ROXANE: |
| Yes, frequently. Then I would answer, 'I go to see my lover.' At that word |
| the very fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage-door, |
| and, with a gesture that a king might envy, make signal to his men to lower |
| the muskets leveled at me;—then, with melancholy but withal very graceful |
| dignity—his beaver held to the wind that the plumes might flutter bravely, he |
| would bow low, saying to me, 'Pass on, Senorita!' |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| But, Roxane. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| Forgive me that I said, 'my lover!' But bethink you, had I said 'my |
| husband,' not one of them had let me pass! |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| But. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| What ails you? |
| DE GUICHE: |
| You must leave this place! |
| ROXANE: |
| I? |
| CYRANO: |
| And that instantly! |
| LE BRET: |
| No time to lose. |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| Indeed, you must. |
| ROXANE: |
| But wherefore must I? |
| CHRISTIAN (embarrassed): |
| 'Tis that. . . |
| CYRANO (the same): |
| —In three quarters of an hour. . . |
| DE GUICHE (the same): |
| —Or for. . . |
| CARBON (the same): |
| It were best. . . |
| LE BRET (the same): |
| You might. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| You are going to fight?—I stay here. |
| ALL: |
| No, no! |
| ROXANE: |
| He is my husband! |
| (She throws herself into Christian's arms): |
| They shall kill us both together! |
| CHRISTIAN: |
| Why do you look at me thus? |
| ROXANE: |
| I will tell you why! |
| DE GUICHE (in despair): |
| 'Tis a post of mortal danger! |
| ROXANE (turning round): |
| Mortal danger! |
| CYRANO: |
| Proof enough, that he has put us here! |
| ROXANE (to De Guiche): |
| So, Sir, you would have made a widow of me? |
| DE GUICHE: |
| Nay, on my oath. . . |
| ROXANE: |
| I will not go! I am reckless now, and I shall not stir from here!—Besides, |
| 'tis amusing! |
| CYRANO: |
| Oh-ho! So our precieuse is a heroine! |
| ROXANE: |
| Monsieur de Bergerac, I am your cousin. |
| A CADET: |
| We will defend you well! |
| ROXANE (more and more excited): |
| I have no fear of that, my friends! |
| ANOTHER (in ecstasy): |
| The whole camp smells sweet of orris-root! |
| ROXANE: |
| And, by good luck, I have chosen a hat that will suit well with the |
| battlefield! |
| (Looking at De Guiche): |
| But were it not wisest that the Count retire? |
| They may begin the attack. |
| DE GUICHE: |
| That is not to be brooked! I go to inspect the cannon, and shall return. |
| You have still time—think better of it! |
| ROXANE: |
| Never! |
| (De Guiche goes out.) |
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