cyrano de bergerac-第26章
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rs! CYRANO (who has succeeded in reaching the chair; and has seated himselfin a lively voice; which is in great contrast with his pale face): Ay! It is villainous! I ragedwas stayed。 。 。
ROXANE: By?。 。 。
CYRANO: By a bold; unwelcome visitor。
ROXANE (absently; working): Some creditor?
CYRANO: Ay; cousin;the last creditor Who has a debt to claim from me。
ROXANE: And you Have paid it?
CYRANO: No; not yet! I put it off; Said; 'Cry you mercy; this is Saturday; When I have get a standing rendezvous That naught defers。 Call in an hour's time!'
ROXANE (carelessly): Oh; well; a creditor can always wait! I shall not let you go ere twilight falls。
CYRANO: Haply; perforce; I quit you ere it falls!
(He shuts his eyes; and is silent for a moment。 Sister Martha crosses the park from the chapel to the flight of steps。 Roxane; seeing her; signs to her to approach。)
ROXANE (to Cyrano): How now? You have not teased the Sister?
CYRANO (hastily opening his eyes): True! (In a comically loud voice): Sister! come here! (The sister glides up to him): Ha! ha! What? Those bright eyes Bent ever on the ground?
SISTER MARTHA (who makes a movement of astonishment on seeing his face): Oh!
CYRANO (in a whisper; pointing to Roxane): Hush! 'tis naught! (Loudly; in a blustering voice): I broke fast yesterday!
SISTER MARTHA (aside): I know; I know! That's how he is so pale! Come presently To the refectory; I'll make you drink A famous bowl of soup。 。 。You'll come?
CYRANO: Ay; ay!
SISTER MARTHA: There; see! You are more reasonable to…day!
ROXANE (who hears them whispering): The Sister would convert you?
SISTER MARTHA: Nay; not I!
CYRANO: Hold! but it's true! You preach to me no more; You; once so glib with holy words! I am Astonished!。 。 。 (With burlesque fury): Stay; I will surprise you too! Hark! I permit you。 。 。 (He pretends to be seeking for something to tease her with; and to have found it): 。 。 。It is something new! Topray for me; to…night; at chapel…time!
ROXANE: Oh! oh!
CYRANO (laughing): Good Sister Martha is struck dumb!
SISTER MARTHA (gently): I did not wait your leave to pray for you。
(She goes out。)
CYRANO (turning to Roxane; who is still bending over her work): That tapestry! Beshrew me if my eyes Will ever see it finished!
ROXANE: I was sure To hear that well…known jest!
(A light breeze causes the leaves to fall。)
CYRANO: The autumn leaves!
ROXANE (lifting her head; and looking down the distant alley): Soft golden brown; like a Venetian's hair。 See how they fall!
CYRANO: Ay; see how brave they fall; In their last journey downward from the bough; To rot within the clay; yet; lovely still; Hiding the horror of the last decay; With all the wayward grace of careless flight!
ROXANE: What; melancholyyou?
CYRANO (collecting himself): Nay; nay; Roxane!
ROXANE: Then let the dead leaves fall the way they will。 。 。 And chat。 What; have you nothing new to tell; My Court Gazette?
CYRANO: Listen。
ROXANE: Ah!
CYRANO (growing whiter and whiter): Saturday The nineteenth: having eaten to excess Of pear…conserve; the King felt feverish; The lancet quelled this treasonable revolt; And the august pulse beats at normal pace。 At the Queen's ball on Sunday thirty score Of best white waxen tapers were consumed。 Our troops; they say; have chased the Austrians。 Four sorcerers were hanged。 The little dog Of Madame d'Athis took a dose。 。 。
ROXANE: I bid You hold your tongue; Monsieur de Bergerac!
CYRANO: Mondaynot muchClaire changed protector。
ROXANE: Oh!
CYRANO (whose face changes more and more): Tuesday; the Court repaired to Fontainebleau。 Wednesday; the Montglat said to Comte de Fiesque。 。 。 No! ThursdayMancini; Queen of France! (almost!) Friday; the Monglat to Count Fiesque said'Yes!' And Saturday the twenty…sixth。 。 。
(He closes his eyes。 His head falls forward。 Silence。)
ROXANE (surprised at his voice ceasing; turns round; looks at him; and rising; terrified): He swoons! (She runs toward him crying): Cyrano!
CYRANO (opening his eyes; in an unconcerned voice): What is this? (He sees Roxane bending over him; and; hastily pressing his hat on his head; and shrinking back in his chair): Nay; on my word 'Tis nothing! Let me be!
ROXANE: But。 。 。
CYRANO: That old wound Of Arras; sometimes;as you know。 。 。
ROXANE: Dear friend!
CYRANO: 'Tis nothing; 'twill pass soon; (He smiles with an effort): See!it has passed!
ROXANE: Each of us has his wound; ay; I have mine; Never healed upnot healed yet; my old wound! (She puts her hand on her breast): 'Tis here; beneath this letter brown with age; All stained with tear…drops; and still stained with blood。
(Twilight begins to fall。)
CYRANO: His letter! Ah! you promised me one day That I should read it。
ROXANE: What would you?His letter?
CYRANO: Yes; I would fain;to…day。 。 。
ROXANE (giving the bag hung at her neck): See! here it is!
CYRANO (taking it): Have I your leave to open?
ROXANE: Openread!
(She comes back to her tapestry frame; folds it up; sorts her wools。)
CYRANO (reading): 'Roxane; adieu! I soon must die! This very night; beloved; and I Feel my soul heavy with love untold。 I die! No more; as in days of old; My loving; longing eyes will feast On your least gestureay; the least! I mind me the way you touch your cheek With your finger; softly; as you speak! Ah me! I know that gesture well! My heart cries out!I cry 〃Farewell〃!'
ROXANE: But how you read that letter! One would think。 。 。
CYRANO (continuing to read): 'My life; my love; my jewel; my sweet; My heart has been yours in every beat!'
(The shades of evening fall imperceptibly。)
ROXANE: You read in such a voiceso strangeand yet It is not the first time I hear that voice!
(She comes nearer very softly; without his perceiving it; passes behind his chair; and; noiselessly leaning over him; looks at the letter。 The darkness deepens。)
CYRANO: 'Here; dying; and there; in the land on high; I am he who loved; who loves you;I。 。 。'
ROXANE (putting her hand on his shoulder): How can you read? It is too dark to see! (He starts; turns; sees her close to him。 Suddenly alarmed; he holds his head down。 Then in the dusk; which has now completely enfolded them; she says; very slowly; with clasped hands): And; fourteen years long; he has played this part Of the kind old friend who comes to laugh and chat。
CYRANO: Roxane!
ROXANE: 'Twas you!
CYRANO: No; never; Roxane; no!
ROXANE: I should have guessed; each time he said my name!
CYRANO: No; it was not I!
ROXANE: It was you!
CYRANO: I swear!
ROXANE: I see through all the generous counterfeit The lettersyou!
CYRANO: No。
ROXANE: The sweet; mad love…words! You!
CYRANO: No!
ROXANE: The voice that thrilled the nightyou; you!
CYRANO: I swear you err。
ROXANE: The soulit was your soul!
CYRANO: I loved you not。
ROXANE: You loved me not?
CYRANO: 'Twas he!
ROXANE: You loved me!
CYRANO: No!
ROXANE: See! how you falter now!
CYRANO: No; my sweet love; I never loved you!
ROXANE: Ah! Things dead; long dead; see! how they rise again! Why; why keep silence all these fourteen years; When; on this letter; which he never wrote; The tears were your tears?
CYRANO (holding out the letter to her): The bloodstains were his。
ROXANE: Why; then; that noble silence;kept so long Broken to…day for the first timewhy?
CYRANO: Why?。 。 。
(Le Bret and Ragueneau enter running。)
Scene 5。VI。
The same。 Le Bret and Ragueneau。
LE BRET: What madness! Here? I knew it well!
CYRANO (smiling and sitting up): What now?
LE BRET: He has brought his death by coming; Madame。
ROXANE: God! Ah; then! that faintness of a moment since。 。 。?
CYRANO: Why; true! It interrupted the 'Gazette:' 。 。 。Saturday; twenty…sixth; at dinner…time; Assassination of De Bergerac。
(He takes