Act 5 — SCENE VI.
Charles Renauld translation
The same, LE BRET and RAGUENEAU.
LE BRET.
How imprudent! I was sure of it! He is here!
CYRANO (smiling and straightening himself up).
Of course, I'm here!
LE BRET.
It is suicide, Madam, for him to have left his bed!
ROXANE.
Great God! But just now, then....this weakness?.... this fainting?
CYRANO.
Oh! by the way, I did not finish my weekly chronicle: ....and Saturday, 26th, one hour before dinner, Monsieur de Bergerac was assassinated in the street.
(He takes off his hat, and his head is seen wrapped in bandages.)
ROXANE.
What did he say?—Cyrano!—his poor head!.... What have they done to you?
CYRANO.
"And in my heart a sword's ennobling point!" —So said I once!.... What mockery in fate!.... And now I'm killed ignobly from behind, O'erpowered by a lackey with a log. I missed my life; my death's a failure too!
RAGUENEAU.
Oh! sir....Oh! sir....
CYRANO.
Good Ragueneau, grieve not so!....
(Extends his hand to him.)
And what are you doing now, my brother poet?
RAGUENEAU (through his tears).
I am the one who.... who snuffs the candles at Molière's.[26]
CYRANO.
Molière!
RAGUENEAU.
But I shall leave him to-morrow. For I am indignant!.... Yesterday he gave Scapin, and I saw that he had taken from you a whole scene!
LE BRET.
Entire?
RAGUENEAU.
Yes, sir; the famous: "What the deuce was he doing?...."
LE BRET (to Cyrano).
Molière has robbed you!
CYRANO.
Hush! hush! he did well!....
(to Ragueneau).
The scene was very effective, was it not?
RAGUENEAU (sobbing).
Oh! sir, what a laugh! what a laugh! through the whole audience!
CYRANO.
My life, you see, is all in this: I've been The one who prompts—and ever is forgot!
(to Roxane).
Do you recall the night when Christian spoke His love for you—beneath your balcony? The words were mine, and mine the fondest thoughts; But I remained below, unknown, in darkness, while Another went aloft to gather light and love! 'Tis justice, and my dying breath approves; Molière has genius, Christian's beauty won.
(The chapel bell sounds. Sisters pass in the rear, going to evening service.)
It's time for prayer; the bell that tolls is right!
ROXANE (rising to call).
Come, Sister!
CYRANO (restraining her).
Leave me not to call for help! On your return, you would not find me here.
(The sisters have entered the chapel, and the organ begins to play.)
I yearned for harmony; and now it's come!
ROXANE.
I love you, live!
CYRANO.
In fairy tales alone Can love dispel the curse of homeliness. You'd soon discover that I cannot change.
ROXANE.
You've suffered....and through me!
CYRANO.
Through you? Not so! I never knew a woman's gentleness. My mother found me homely. Sister, none; And as to lady-loves, they would have laughed At me. Through you, at least, I had a friend; Through you I've known the spell a gown can bring!
LE BRET (showing the moonlight through the trees).
Another friend of yours is there!
CYRANO (smiling to the moon).
I see.
ROXANE.
I loved but one, and here I lose him twice!
CYRANO.
And now, Le Bret, I'll mount, and reach the moon, Although I've not completed that machine....
LE BRET.
Oh! speak not thus!
CYRANO.
Why not? 'Tis there, I say, That I'll be sent to seek for paradise. How many souls I love are there in bliss! Good Socrates and Galileo too!
LE BRET (indignant).
No! no! this is too stupid, too unjust! Such a poet! A heart so big and lofty! To die thus!.... To die!....
CYRANO.
There is Le Bret growling again!
LE BRET (bursting into tears).
My dearest friend!....
CYRANO (rising, with wildness in his eyes).
Fair Gascony's Cadets are they.... The elementary mass.... Why! yes!....—There is the rub....
LE BRET.
Alas! delirious!
CYRANO.
Copernicus said....
ROXANE.
Dreadful! dreadful!
CYRANO.
What the deuce was he doing, what the deuce was he doing in that galley?....
Philosopher and physicist, A rimester, swordsman and musician, A man who travelled in the air As prompt with parry as reply, A lover too—alas!—here lies Sir Hercules, Savinian De Cyrano de Bergerac, Who compassed all and still was naught.
But I must leave! I would not cause a wait. Your pardon. See! the moon sends down for me!
(A ray of light from the moon is on him. He falls back into his chair. The weeping of Roxane wakes him from his dreamy state. He looks at her and strokes her veil.)
I would not have you weep a wit the less For Christian, who was all that's good and grand. But, when the hand of ice has laid me low, I would your weeds might have a double sense Of mourning: first for him....and then for me!
ROXANE.
I swear to you....
CYRANO (shaking with fever, rises suddenly).
No! never! In a chair!
(to those who advance to assist him).
No help!.... From anybody!....
(leaning back against the tree).
.... But the tree!
(Silence.)
It[27] comes!—I have already marble boots.... And gloves of lead!....
(He straightens up.)
What matters?—Since It's here, I'll meet it standing and....
(draws his sword)
....with sword in hand!
LE BRET.
Cyrano!
ROXANE (overcome).
God!
(All fall back aghast.)
CYRANO.
Ha! ha! I think it looks.... It dares to look—the flat face—at my nose!
(Brandishes his sword.)
What say you?....That it's useless?....Don't I know? But valiant hearts contend not for success! It's nobler to defend a hopeless cause! —Who are you all? I count a thousand....more! I know you now: my enemies of old! You're Falsehood!—
(Strikes the open air with his sword.)
Here!—Ha! ha! and Compromise, And Prejudice, and Cowardice!....
(He strikes.)
Submit? No, never! Ah! here's Imbecility!.... I know that, in the end, I must succumb, I dare you, though, and strike! and strike! and strike!
(Strikes right and left with his sword, and stops exhausted.)
You take my all, the laurel and the rose!.... Well, take them!.... But, in spite of you, there is A something that I bear along with me To sweep to-night with grandeur, as I pass, The threshold and the gates of heaven's blue; A something that's unsullied and is mine.... Do what you will!
(Rushes forward, sword aloft.)
It is....
(Sword drops out of his hand. He staggers and falls into the arms of Le Bret and Ragueneau.)
ROXANE (leaning over him and kissing his forehead).
It is?....
CYRANO (opens his eyes, recognises her and smiles).
....My plume![28]
CURTAIN.
FIFTH ACT.
