Scene 4.IX.



Christian, Cyrano.  At back Roxane talking to Carbon and some cadets.



CHRISTIAN (calling toward Cyrano's tent):

  Cyrano!



CYRANO (reappearing, fully armed):

  What?  Why so pale?



CHRISTIAN:

  She does not love me!



CYRANO:

  What?



CHRISTIAN:

  'Tis you she loves!



CYRANO:

  No!



CHRISTIAN:

  --For she loves me only for my soul!



CYRANO:

  Truly?



CHRISTIAN:

  Yes!  Thus--you see, that soul is you,. . .

  Therefore, 'tis you she loves!--And you--love her!



CYRANO:

  I?



CHRISTIAN:

  Oh, I know it!



CYRANO:

  Ay, 'tis true!



CHRISTIAN:

  You love

  To madness!



CYRANO:

  Ay! and worse!



CHRISTIAN:

  Then tell her so!



CYRANO:

  No!



CHRISTIAN:

  And why not?



CYRANO:

  Look at my face!--be answered!



CHRISTIAN:

  She'd love me--were I ugly.



CYRANO:

  Said she so?



CHRISTIAN:

  Ay! in those words!



CYRANO:

  I'm glad she told you that!

  But pooh!--believe it not!  I am well pleased

  She thought to tell you.  Take it not for truth.

  Never grow ugly:--she'd reproach me then!



CHRISTIAN:

  That I intend discovering!



CYRANO:

  No! I beg!



CHRISTIAN:

  Ay! she shall choose between us!--Tell her all!



CYRANO:

  No! no!  I will not have it!  Spare me this!



CHRISTIAN:

  Because my face is haply fair, shall I

  Destroy your happiness?  'Twere too unjust!



CYRANO:

  And I,--because by Nature's freak I have

  The gift to say--all that perchance you feel.

  Shall I be fatal to your happiness?



CHRISTIAN:

  Tell all!



CYRANO:

  It is ill done to tempt me thus!



CHRISTIAN:

  Too long I've borne about within myself

  A rival to myself--I'll make an end!



CYRANO:

  Christian!



CHRISTIAN:

  Or union, without witness--secret--

  Clandestine--can be easily dissolved

  If we survive.



CYRANO:

  My God!--he still persists!



CHRISTIAN:

  I will be loved myself--or not at all!

  --I'll go see what they do--there, at the end

  Of the post:  speak to her, and then let her choose

  One of us two!



CYRANO:

  It will be you.



CHRISTIAN:

  Pray God!

(He calls):

  Roxane!



CYRANO:

  No! no!



ROXANE (coming up quickly):

  What?



CHRISTIAN:

  Cyrano has things

  Important for your ear. . .



(She hastens to Cyrano.  Christian goes out.)