Act 4 — SCENE V.
Charles Renauld translation
The same, ROXANE.
GUICHE.
Service of the King! You?
ROXANE.
Certainly, of the only king there is: Love!
CYRANO.
Great God.
CHRISTIAN (rushing up to her).
You, Roxane! Wherefor?
ROXANE.
Oh! this siege was entirely too long.
CHRISTIAN.
But the reason?....
ROXANE.
I'll tell you later.
CYRANO (he has remained motionless, without daring to look at her).
Heavens! Shall I face her?
GUICHE.
You cannot remain here!
ROXANE (gayly).
Oh! yes, I can! Will you be kind enough to bring up a drum?
(One of the Cadets brings up a drum, on which she sits.)
There! thank you.
(laughing).
Do you know that they fired on my coach? It looks like a squash, does it not? As in the fairy tale; and the lackeys like rats.
(sending a kiss to Christian).
How are you, dear?
(looking around at them all).
You don't seem to be very merry here! I didn't know that Arras was so far off.
(looking at Cyrano).
Cousin, delighted!
CYRANO (advancing).
Roxane, tell me how?....
ROXANE.
How I managed to find the army? Oh! my dear friend, it was the simplest thing in the world: I drove on so long as I saw the country laid waste. Such horrors must be seen to be believed! If that is the service of your King, gentlemen, my service is a better one.
CYRANO.
Come, this is foolhardiness! How could you pass?
ROXANE.
How? Why! Right through the Spanish army.
FIRST CADET.
Oh! women. They are knowing ones!
GUICHE.
But how could you get through their lines?
LE BRET.
It must have been very difficult!
ROXANE.
Why! No. I just went along, in my coach, on a trot. Whenever one of the Dons showed his haughty face, I put on and displayed through the window my most fascinating smile, and these gentlemen being, whatever the French may say, the most courteous people in the world, I passed!
CARBON.
Yes, you have a most excellent passport in that smile! But you must frequently have been called upon, Madam, to declare whither you were going.
ROXANE.
Oh! yes, quite frequently. I answered simply: "I am going to see my lover."—Immediately the most ferocious Spaniard would gravely close the door of my coach, with a knightly wave of the hand order up the muskets already pointed at me, and, with as much grace as haughtiness, the plume of his hat proudly floating on the breeze, bow low and say: "Pass on, Senorita!"
CHRISTIAN.
But, Roxane....
ROXANE.
I said: My lover. Yes, husband, you must forgive! You will surely understand that, if I had said my husband, nobody would have let me pass!
CHRISTIAN.
But....
ROXANE.
Well, what?
GUICHE.
You must be gone immediately!
ROXANE.
I?
CYRANO.
Yes, and sooner!
CHRISTIAN.
Yes, at once.
ROXANE.
But how can I get away?
CHRISTIAN (embarrassed).
The fact is....
CYRANO (likewise embarrassed).
In forty-five minutes....
GUICHE (also embarrassed).
Or fifty....
CARBON (embarrassed too).
It would be preferable....
LE BRET.
You might....
ROXANE.
I remain, for there is going to be fighting.
ALL.
Fighting? Nothing of the kind.
ROXANE (throwing herself into the arms of Christian).
He is my husband! And if he is killed, I must be killed too!
CHRISTIAN.
But what is the matter with your eyes?
ROXANE.
I will tell you later!
GUICHE.
But the post is a most dangerous one.
ROXANE (turning).
What! So dangerous?
CYRANO.
Yes, and the proof is that he assigned it to us.
ROXANE (to Guiche).
So, you desire to make a widow of me?
GUICHE.
I swear to you....
ROXANE.
No! Now I am determined and I will not leave!.... Moreover, it is very exciting.
CYRANO.
What! will the "précieuse" turn out to be a heroine?
ROXANE.
Monsieur de Bergerac, I am your cousin.
A CADET.
Moreover, we will defend you desperately!
ROXANE (growing more and more excited).
I believe it, my friends!
ANOTHER CADET (elated).
A perfume of iris pervades the camp.
ROXANE.
Just so! I put some on this hat, which will be very becoming in the fray!....
(looking at Guiche).
But perhaps it is time the Count should leave: the fight might begin.
GUICHE.
Ah! this is too much! I will inspect the guns and return .... You have a little time left still,....change your mind!
ROXANE.
Never!
(Exit Guiche.)