Act 4 — SCENE X.
Charles Renauld translation
ROXANE, CYRANO, later LE BRET, CARBON OF HAUGHTY-HALL, THE CADETS, RAGUENEAU, GUICHE, etc.
ROXANE.
Something important?....
CYRANO (bewildered).
What! he is gone!.... (to Roxane)
Oh, nothing!.... he attaches—Oh! well, you must know him!—a great deal of importance to trifles!
ROXANE (eagerly).
He doubts, perhaps, the truth of what I said?.... I could almost see he did not believe it!....
CYRANO (taking her by the hand).
But was what you said really true?
ROXANE.
Certainly. I would love him even.... (she hesitates a second.)
CYRANO (smiling sadly).
You stop at the word.... in my presence?
ROXANE.
But....
CYRANO.
It will not hurt my feelings! You meant: Even if he were homely!
ROXANE.
Yes.... homely!
(Sound of musketry in the rear.)
CYRANO (ardently).
Abominably so?
ROXANE.
Yes!
CYRANO.
Disfigured?
ROXANE.
Yes, disfigured!
CYRANO.
Grotesque?
ROXANE.
Nothing can make him look grotesque.... to me!
CYRANO.
And then you would love him still?
ROXANE.
More, perhaps!
CYRANO (losing his self control, aside).
Good God! It is true, perhaps, and happiness is there! (to Roxane). Well, then.... Roxane.... listen!....
LE BRET (entering rapidly and calling in a low voice).
Cyrano!
CYRANO (turning around).
What is it?
LE BRET.
Hush! (whispers to him a few words.)
CYRANO (dropping Roxane's hand).
Great God!....
ROXANE.
What has happened?
CYRANO (stupefied).
It is all over!
(Sounds of musketry again.)
ROXANE.
What is it? Why all this firing?
(She goes up and looks beyond the embankment.)
CYRANO.
All over! I never can tell her!
ROXANE (as if going to rush out).
What is going on?
CYRANO (restraining her).
Nothing! nothing!
(Cadets enter bearing something which they conceal by forming around it a group that keeps Roxane at a distance.)
ROXANE.
What are these men here for?
CYRANO (leading her away).
Never mind them!....
ROXANE.
But what is it you were going to say before this disturbance?
CYRANO.
Going to say?.... Nothing. Oh! nothing, I swear it, Madam! (Solemnly) I swear that the spirit of Christian and his soul were.... (correcting himself) are the greatest....
ROXANE.
You said: were!
(With a shriek). Ah!.... (she rushes back, pushing the men aside.)
CYRANO.
The end has come!
ROXANE (seeing Christian laid out in his cloak).
Christian!
LE BRET (to Cyrano).
The first shot fired by the enemy!
(Roxane throws herself upon the body of Christian. Musketry again. Clash of arms. Shouts. Drums.)
CARBON OF HAUGHTY-HALL (sword in hand).
The attack! to your arms!
(Followed by the Cadets he goes to the other side of the embankment.)
ROXANE (in despair).
Christian! Christian!
THE VOICE OF CARBON (from behind the embankment).
Make haste there!
ROXANE.
Christian!
CARBON.
Fall into line!
ROXANE.
Christian!
CARBON.
Measure.... match!
(Ragueneau has rushed up bringing some water in a helmet.)
CHRISTIAN (in dying tone).
Roxane!....
CYRANO (quickly and in a low tone, in the ear of Christian, while Roxane, frantic, dips into the water of the helmet a piece of linen which she has torn from her breast).
I told her all! and it is you she still loves!
(Christian closes his eyes.)
ROXANE.
What is it, my love?
CARBON.
Ramrods.... high!
ROXANE (to Cyrano).
He is not dead?....
CARBON.
Open charge.... with teeth!
ROXANE.
I feel, here against mine, his cheek getting cold!
CARBON (outside).
Take aim!
ROXANE.
A letter in his bosom! (she opens the letter) for me!
CYRANO (aside).
My letter!
CARBON.
Fire!
(Musketry. Cries. Noise of battle.)
CYRANO (trying to draw away his hand that is held by Roxane, who is on her knees).
But, Roxane, I must join in the fight!
ROXANE (holding him back).
Stay just a little. He is dead, and you were the only one who really knew him.
(She weeps softly.) Is it not true that he had an exquisite soul, a marvellous one?
CYRANO (standing bareheaded).
Yes, Roxane!
ROXANE.
That he was a thrilling poet, an adorable one?
CYRANO.
Yes, Roxane!
ROXANE.
A sublime spirit?
CYRANO.
Yes, Roxane!
ROXANE.
That he had a heart large and brave, too deep to be fathomed by the crowd?
CYRANO (firmly).
Yes, Roxane!
ROXANE (throwing herself upon the body of Christian).
And he is dead!
CYRANO (aside, as he draws his sword).
And I to-day can but die, since, though she knows it not, it is for me she is weeping over him!
(Sound of trumpets in the distance.)
GUICHE (reappearing on the embankment, hatless, wounded in the forehead; with a voice of thunder).
It is the signal that was promised! the trumpets! our comrades come with help and food! Hold fast a few minutes!
ROXANE.
On his letter blood .... and tears!
A VOICE (outside the embankment).
Surrender!
THE CADETS.
No!
RAGUENEAU (who has climbed upon the coach, and is looking at the battle over the embankment).
We are lost!
CYRANO (to Guiche, pointing to Roxane).
Carry her off! I will charge!
ROXANE (in dying tones, as she kisses the letter).
His blood! His tears!....
RAGUENEAU (jumping off the coach and running toward her).
She is fainting!
GUICHE (on the embankment, fiercely, to the Cadets).
Steady, for your lives!
A VOICE (outside).
Lay down your arms!
THE CADETS.
Never!
CYRANO (to Guiche).
You have proved your valour, Sir! You can afford to fly (pointing to Roxane) and save her!
GUICHE (runs to Roxane and takes her in his arms).
So be it! Hold fast a few moments and we shall win the day!
CYRANO.
We'll hold to the death!
(In a voice of anguish, looking toward Roxane, whom Guiche and Ragueneau are carrying away senseless).
Farewell, Roxane!
(Tumult. Cries. Wounded Cadets reappear and fall within the embankment. Cyrano, rushing to the fray, is stopped on the crest of the embankment by Carbon of Haughty-Hall, covered with blood.)
CARBON.
We are wavering! I have received two gun shots.
CYRANO (shouting to the Gascons).
Steady there! Hold fast, you rascals!
(to Carbon, holding him up).
Have no fear! I have two deaths to avenge: Christian's and that of my happiness!
(Both come down. Cyrano brandishes a lance to which is attached the handkerchief of Roxane.)
Float bravely on, you little flag of lace that is hers! (He plants the lance into the ground and cries to the Cadets).
Fall upon them now! Crush them! (to the fife player) And you, strike up!
(The fife plays. The wounded rise to their feet. The Cadets form a group around Cyrano and the little flag; others climb into and upon the coach, making it look like a small fortress.)
A CADET (coming up from the outside of the embankment, backward, still fighting).
They come! they come!
(Falls down dead.)
CYRANO.
We'll give them a salute!
(The embankment is at once occupied by a troop of the enemy, with large flags waving.)
Fire!
(General discharge.)
ORDER (from the enemy's ranks).
Fire!
(Most of the Cadets fall, either wounded or dead.)
A SPANISH OFFICER (taking off his hat).
Who are these people dying so bravely?
CYRANO (erect and proudly reciting).
Fair Gascony's cadets are they, With Carbon,—He of Haughty-Hall; They fight and lie without dismay,
(He rushes on to enemy, followed by a few surviving Cadets.)
Fair Gascony's cadets....
(The rest is lost in the noise of battle.)
CURTAIN.
FOURTH ACT.
