SECOND CHILD Please, will you wrap them for us?

RAGUENEAU [starting, aside] There goes one of my bags! [To the children.] You want them wrapped, do you? [He takes one of the paper bags, and as he is about to put in the patties, reads.] "No otherwise, Ulysses, from Penelope departing...." [He takes one of the paper bags, and as he is about to put in the patties, reads.] "No otherwise, Ulysses, from Penelope departing...." Not this one! Not this one! [He lays it aside and takes another. At the moment of putting in the patties, he reads.] "Phbus of the aureate locks..." [He lays it aside and takes another. At the moment of putting in the patties, he reads.] "Phbus of the aureate locks..." Not that one! Not that one! [Same business.] [Same business.]

LISE [out of patience] [out of patience] Well, what are you waiting for? Well, what are you waiting for?

RAGUENEAU Here we are. Here we are. Here we are. [He takes a third bag and resigns himself.] The sonnet to Phyllis! ... It is hard, all the same.

LISE It is lucky you made up your mind. [Shrugging her shoulders.] [Shrugging her shoulders.] Nicodemus! Nicodemus!33 [She climbs on a chair and arranges dishes on a sideboard. [She climbs on a chair and arranges dishes on a sideboard. ] ]

RAGUENEAU [taking advantage of her back being turned, calls back the children who had already reached the door] [taking advantage of her back being turned, calls back the children who had already reached the door] Psst! ... Children! Give me back the sonnet to Phyllis, and you shall have six patties instead of three! Psst! ... Children! Give me back the sonnet to Phyllis, and you shall have six patties instead of three! [The children give back the paper bag, joyfully take the patties and exeunt. [The children give back the paper bag, joyfully take the patties and exeunt. RAGUENEAU RAGUENEAU smoothes out the crumpled paper and reads declaiming.] "Phyllis!" smoothes out the crumpled paper and reads declaiming.] "Phyllis!" ... Upon that charming name, a . grease-spot! ... ... Upon that charming name, a . grease-spot! ... "Phyllis!" ... [Enter brusquely "Phyllis!" ... [Enter brusquely CYRANO.] CYRANO.]

SCENE III.

Cyrano, Lise, Ragueneau, then the Mousquetaire

CYRANO What time is it?

RAGUENEAU [bowing with eager deference] [bowing with eager deference] Six o'clock. Six o'clock.

CYRANO [with emotion] [with emotion] In an hour! In an hour! [He comes and goes in the shop.] [He comes and goes in the shop.]

RAGUENEAU [following him] Bravo! I too was witness....

CYRANO Of what?

RAGUENEAU Your fight.

CYRANO Which?

RAGUENEAU At the Hotel de Bourgogne.

CYRANO [with disdain] [with disdain] Ah, the duel! Ah, the duel!

RAGUENEAU [admiringly] [admiringly] Yes,-the duel in rhyme. Yes,-the duel in rhyme.

LISE He can talk of nothing else.

CYRANO Let him! ... It does no harm.

RAGUENEAU [thrusting with a spit he has seized] "At the last line, I hit!" "At the last line I hit!" [thrusting with a spit he has seized] "At the last line, I hit!" "At the last line I hit!"-How fine that is! [With growing enthusiasm [With growing enthusiasm .] .] "At the last line, I "At the last line, I- CYRANO What time, Ragueneau?

RAGUENEAU [remaining fixed in the att.i.tude of thrusting, while he looks at the clock] [remaining fixed in the att.i.tude of thrusting, while he looks at the clock] Five minutes past six.- Five minutes past six.-"I hit!" [He recovers from his duelling posture.] Oh, to be able to make a ballade! Oh, to be able to make a ballade!

LISE [to [to CYRANO, CYRANO, who in pa.s.sing her counter has absentmindedly shaken hands with her] who in pa.s.sing her counter has absentmindedly shaken hands with her] What ails your hand? What ails your hand?

CYRANO Nothing. A scratch.

RAGUENEAU You have been exposed to some danger?

CYRANO None whatever.

LISE [shaking her finger at him] [shaking her finger at him] I fear that is a fib! I fear that is a fib!

CYRANO From the swelling of my nose? The fib in that case must have been good-sized.... [In a different tone.] [In a different tone.] I am expecting some one. You will leave us alone in here. I am expecting some one. You will leave us alone in here.

RAGUENEAU But how can I contrive it? My poets shortly will be coming ...

LISE [ironically] For breakfast!

CYRANO When I sign to you, you will clear the place of them.-What time is it?

RAGUENEAU It is ten minutes past six.

CYRANO [seating himself nervously at [seating himself nervously at RAGUENEAU's RAGUENEAU's table and helping himself to paper] table and helping himself to paper] A pen? A pen?

RAGUENEAU [taking one from behind his ear, and offering it] [taking one from behind his ear, and offering it] A swan's quill. A swan's quill.

A MOUSQUETAIRE [with enormous moustachios, enters; in a stentorian voice] [with enormous moustachios, enters; in a stentorian voice] Good-morning! Good-morning! [LISE goes hurriedly to him, toward the back.] [LISE goes hurriedly to him, toward the back.]

CYRANO [turning] [turning] What is it? What is it?

RAGUENEAU A friend of my wife's,-a warrior,-terrible, from his own report.

CYRANO [taking up the pen again, and waving [taking up the pen again, and waving RAGUENEAU RAGUENEAU away] away] Hush! ... [ Hush! ... [To himself.] Write to her, ... fold the letter, ... hand it to her, ... and make my escape.... [Throwing, down the pen.] Coward! ... But may I perish if I have the courage to speak to her, ... to say a single word.... [To [To RAGUENEAU.] What time is it? RAGUENEAU.] What time is it?

RAGUENEAU A quarter past six. CYRANO [beating his breast] [beating his breast] A single word of all I carry here! ... Whereas in writing ... A single word of all I carry here! ... Whereas in writing ... [He takes up the pen again.] [He takes up the pen again.] Come, let us write it then, in very deed, the love-letter I have written in thought so many times, I have but to lay my soul beside my paper, and copy! Come, let us write it then, in very deed, the love-letter I have written in thought so many times, I have but to lay my soul beside my paper, and copy! [He writes.] [He writes.]

SCENE IV.

Ragueneau, Lise, the Mousquetaire, Cyrano, writing at the little table; the Poets, dressed in black, their stocking sagging and covered in mud [Beyond the gla.s.s-door, shadowy lank hesitating shabby forms are seen moving. Enter the poets, clad in black, with hanging hose, sadly mud-splashed.]

LISE [coming forward, to to RAGUENEAU] Here they come, your scare-crows ! RAGUENEAU] Here they come, your scare-crows !

FIRST POET [entering, to [entering, to RAGUENEAU] Brother in art! ... RAGUENEAU] Brother in art! ...

SECOND POET [shaking both [shaking both RAGUENEAU's RAGUENEAU's hands] hands] Dear fellow-bard.... Dear fellow-bard....

THIRD POET Eagle of pastrycooks, [sniffs the air], [sniffs the air], your eyrie smells divine! your eyrie smells divine!

FOURTH POET Phbus34 turned baker! turned baker!

FIFTH POET Apollo35 master-cook! master-cook!

RAGUENEAU [surrounded, embraced, shaken by the hand] [surrounded, embraced, shaken by the hand] How at his ease a man feels at once with them! How at his ease a man feels at once with them!

FIRST POET The reason we are late, is the crowd at the Porte de Nesle!

SECOND POET Eight ugly ruffians, ripped open with the sword, lie weltering on the pavement.

CYRANO [raising his head a second] [raising his head a second] Eight? I thought there were only seven. Eight? I thought there were only seven. [Goes on with his letter.] [Goes on with his letter.]

RAGUENEAU [to CYRANO] Do you happen to know who is the hero of this event?

CYRANO [negligently] [negligently] I? ... No. I? ... No.

LISE [to the [to the MOUSQUETAIRE] Do you? MOUSQUETAIRE] Do you?

THE MOUSQUETAIRE [turning up the ends of his moustache] [turning up the ends of his moustache] Possibly! Possibly!

CYRANO writing writing; from time to time he is heard murmuring a word or two from time to time he is heard murmuring a word or two,] ... "I love you..."

FIRST POET A single man, we were told, put a whole gang to flight!

SECOND POET Oh, it was a rare sight! The ground was littered with pikes, and cudgels ...

CYRANO [writing] "Your eyes ..." [writing] "Your eyes ..."

THIRD POET Hats were strewn as far as the Goldsmiths' square!

FIRST POET Sapristi! He must have been a madman of mettle....

CYRANO [as above] [as above] "... "... your lips your lips ..." ..."

FIRST POET An infuriate giant, the doer of that deed!

CYRANO [same business] "... but when I see you, I come near to swooning with a tender dread ..." [same business] "... but when I see you, I come near to swooning with a tender dread ..."

SECOND POET [snapping up a tart] [snapping up a tart] What have you lately written, Ragueneau? What have you lately written, Ragueneau?

CYRANO [same business] [same business] "... "... who loves you devotedly who loves you devotedly..." [In the act of signing the letter, he stops, rises, and tucks it inside his doublet.] [In the act of signing the letter, he stops, rises, and tucks it inside his doublet.] No need to sign it, I deliver it myself. No need to sign it, I deliver it myself.

RAGUENEAU [to SECOND POET] I have rhymed a recipe.

THIRD POET [establishing himself beside a tray of cream puffs [establishing himself beside a tray of cream puffs] Let us hear this recipe!

FOURTH POET [examining a brioche of which he has possessed himself] [examining a brioche of which he has possessed himself] It should not wear its cap so saucily on one side ... it scarcely looks well! ... It should not wear its cap so saucily on one side ... it scarcely looks well! ... [Bites off the top.] [Bites off the top.]

FIRST POET See, the spice-cake there, ogling a susceptible poet with eyes of almond under citron brows! ... [He takes the spice-cake. [He takes the spice-cake. ] ]

SECOND POET We are listening!

THIRD POET [slightly squeezing a cream puff between his fingers] [slightly squeezing a cream puff between his fingers] This puff creams at the mouth.... I water! This puff creams at the mouth.... I water!

SECOND POET [taking a bite out of the large pastry lyre] [taking a bite out of the large pastry lyre] For once the Lyre will have filled my stomach! For once the Lyre will have filled my stomach!

RAGUENEAU [who has made ready to recite, has coughed, adjusted his cap, struck an att.i.tude] [who has made ready to recite, has coughed, adjusted his cap, struck an att.i.tude] A recipe in rhyme! A recipe in rhyme!

SECOND POET [to [to FIRST POET, FIRST POET, nudging him] nudging him] Is it breakfast, with you? Is it breakfast, with you?

FIRST POET [to [to SECOND POET] And with you, is it dinner? SECOND POET] And with you, is it dinner?

RAGUENEAU How Almond Cheese-Cakes should be made.

Briskly beat to lightness due, Eggs, a few; With the eggs so beaten, beat- Nicely strained for this same use,- Lemon-juice, Adding milk of almonds, sweet.

With fine pastry dough, rolled flat, After that, Line each little scallopped mold; Round the sides, light-fingered, spread Marmalade; Pour the liquid eggy gold, Into each delicious pit; Prison it In the oven,-and, bye and bye, Almond cheesecakes will in gay Blond array Bless your nostril and your eye!

THE POETS [their mouths full] [their mouths full] Exquisite! ... Delicious! Exquisite! ... Delicious!

ONE OF THE POETS [choking] [choking] Humph! Humph! [They go toward the back, eating. [They go toward the back, eating. CYRANO, CYRANO, who has been watching them, approaches RAGUENEAU.] who has been watching them, approaches RAGUENEAU.]

CYRANO While you recite your works to them, have you a notion how they stuff?

RAGUENEAU [low, with a smile] [low, with a smile] Yes, I see them ... without looking, lest they should be abashed. I get a double pleasure thus from saying my verses over: I satisfy a harmless weakness of which I stand convicted, at the same time as giving those who have not fed a needed chance to feed! Yes, I see them ... without looking, lest they should be abashed. I get a double pleasure thus from saying my verses over: I satisfy a harmless weakness of which I stand convicted, at the same time as giving those who have not fed a needed chance to feed!

CYRANO [slapping him on the shoulder] [slapping him on the shoulder] You, ... I like you! [RAGUENEAU You, ... I like you! [RAGUENEAU joins his friends. joins his friends. CYRANO CYRANO looks after him; then, somewhat sharply.] looks after him; then, somewhat sharply.] Hey, Lise! (LISE, Hey, Lise! (LISE, absorbed in tender conversation with the absorbed in tender conversation with the MOUSQUETAIRE, MOUSQUETAIRE, starts and comes forward toward starts and comes forward toward CYRANO.] Is that captain ... laying siege to you? CYRANO.] Is that captain ... laying siege to you?

LISE [offended] [offended] My eyes, sir, have ever held in respect those who meant hurt to my character.... My eyes, sir, have ever held in respect those who meant hurt to my character....

CYRANO For eyes so resolute ... I thought yours looked a little languishing!

LISE [choking with anger] [choking with anger] But ... But ...

CYRANO [bluntly] [bluntly] I like your husband. Wherefore, Madame Lise, I say he shall not be sc ... horned! I like your husband. Wherefore, Madame Lise, I say he shall not be sc ... horned!36 LISE But ...

CYRANO [raising his voice so as to be heard by the [raising his voice so as to be heard by the MOUSQUETAIRE] A word to the wise! MOUSQUETAIRE] A word to the wise! [He bows to the [He bows to the MOUSQUETAIRE, MOUSQUETAIRE, and after looking at the clock, goes to the door at the back and stands in watch.] and after looking at the clock, goes to the door at the back and stands in watch.]

LISE [to the [to the MOUSQUETAIRE, MOUSQUETAIRE, who has simply returned who has simply returned CYRANO's CYRANO's bow] bow] Really ... I am astonished at you.... Defy him ... to his face! Really ... I am astonished at you.... Defy him ... to his face!

THE MOUSQUETAIRE To his face, indeed! ... to his face! ... [He quickly moves off. LISE LISE follows follows him.] him.]

CYRANO [from the door at the back, signalling to [from the door at the back, signalling to RAGUENEAU RAGUENEAU that he should clear the room] that he should clear the room] Pst! ... Pst! ...

RAGUENEAU [urging the [urging the POETS POETS toward the door at the right] toward the door at the right] We shall be much more comfortable in there.... We shall be much more comfortable in there....

CYRANO [impatiently] [impatiently] Pst! ... Pst! ... Pst! ... Pst! ...