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Scene VII

CYRANO, RAGUENEAU, the POETS, CARRBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX, the CADETS, a CROWD, then DE GUICHE.

RAGUENEAU:

Can we come in?

CYRANO:

[motionless] Yes.

[RAGUENEAU signals to his friends and they all come in. At the same time, by a door at the back, CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX enters, in Captain's uniform. He makes gestures of surprise upon seeing CYRANO.]

CARBON:

Here he is!

CYRANO:

[raising his head] Captain!

CARBON:

[delightedly] Our hero! We heard all about it! Thirty or more of my cadets are here!

CYRANO:

[shrinking back] But…

CARBON:

[trying to draw him away] Come with me! They will not rest until they see you!

CYRANO:

No!

CARBON:

They're just across the street, drinking at The Bear's Head.

CYRANO:

I—

CARBON:

[going to the door and calling across the street in a loud, booming voice] He won't come! The hero's in a bad mood!

A VOICE:

[outside] Sandious!

[There is a tumult outside. The noise of boots and swords is heard.]

CARBON:

[rubbing his hands] They're running across the street!

[The cadets enter, shouting exclamations in the Gascon dialect.]

RAGUENEAU:

[drawing back, startled] Gentlemen, are you all from Gascony?

THE CADETS:

Yes, all of us!

A CADET:

[to CYRANO] Bravo!

CYRANO:

[nodding] Baron!

ANOTHER:

[shaking his hands] Hurrah!

CYRANO:

Baron!

THIRD CADET:

Come! I must embrace you!

CYRANO:

Baron!

SEVERAL CADETS:

We'll all embrace him! All in turn!

CYRANO:

[not knowing whom to reply to] Baron—Baron—I beg you—

RAGUENEAU:

Are you all Barons, Sirs?

CADETS:

All of us!

RAGUENEAU:

Is it true?

FIRST CADET:

You could build a tower with nothing but our coronets!

LE BRET:

[entering, and running up to CYRANO] Everyone wants to see you! There's a wild mob led by the men who followed you last night!

CYRANO:

[alarmed] You haven't told them where to find me, have you?

LE BRET:

[rubbing his hands] Yes!

A BURGHER:

[entering, followed by a group of men] Sir, everyone in the Marais is coming here!

[Outside the street has filled with people. Carriages are stopping.]

LE BRET:

[in a low voice, smiling, to CYRANO] What happened with Roxane?

CYRANO:

[quickly] Hush!

CROWD:

[calling from outside] Cyrano!

[A CROWD rushes into the shop, pushing one another and cheering.]

RAGUENEAU:

[standing on a table] My shop is being invaded! They're breaking everything! How magnificent!

CROWD:

[gathering around CYRANO] My friend! My friend!

CYRANO:

It seems that just yesterday I didn't have this many friends!

LE BRET:

[delighted] Success!

A YOUNG MARQUIS:

[hurrying up with his hands held out] My friend, if you only knew—

CYRANO:

Friend? How can you be my friend if I've never even seen you before?

ANOTHER:

Sir, please let me present to you some fair ladies who are waiting in my carriage.

CYRANO:

[coldly] Oh? And who will introduce me to you?

LE BRET:

[astonished] What's wrong with you?

CYRANO:

Hush!

A MAN OF LETTERS:

[with a writing-board] Sir, may I have a few details?

CYRANO:

No.

LE BRET:

[nudging his elbow] That's Théophraste Renaudot, editor of the “Gazette!”

CYRANO:

Who cares?

LE BRET:

But his paper is of great importance! They say it will be an immense success!

A POET:

[advancing] Sir—

CYRANO:

Another one!

POET:

Please permit me to make a pentacrostic out of your name.

A MAN:

[also advancing] Please, Sir—

CYRANO:

Enough! Enough!

[There is a movement in the CROWD. DE GUICHE appears, escorted by OFFICERS, including CUIGY, BRISSAILLE, and the officers who went with CYRANO the night before. CUIGY comes rapidly up to CYRANO.]

CUIGY:

[to CYRANO] I present Monsieur de Guiche. [The CROWD murmurs and everyone gets out of the way.] He comes with a message from the Marshal of Gassion!

DE GUICHE:

[bowing to CYRANO] The Marshal expresses his admiration, Sir, for your exploit that everyone is talking about.

CROWD:

Bravo!

CYRANO:

[bowing] The Marshal is a judge of valor.

DE GUICHE:

He could not have believed it, unless these gentlemen had sworn they witnessed it.

CUIGY:

With our own eyes!

LE BRET:

[aside to CYRANO, who appears distracted] Aren't you going to say something?

CYRANO:

Hush!

LE BRET:

What is it? You seem to be suffering.

CYRANO:

[starting] Suffering? In front of this mob? [He draws himself up, twirls his mustache, and throws back his shoulders.] Wait! You shall see!

DE GUICHE:

[to whom CUIGY has spoken in a low voice] Your career is already filled with great exploits. And you also serve with those crazy Gascons?

CYRANO:

Yes, I'm with the Cadets.

A CADET:

[in a fierce tone] He's one of us!

DE GUICHE:

[looking at the CADETS, who all stand behind CYRANO] Ah! These proud and haughty gentlemen must be the famous warriors!

CARBON:

Cyrano!

CYRANO:

Yes, captain!

CARBON:

Since all my company is assembled here, please favor me and present them to the Count.

CYRANO:

[making two steps toward DE GUICHE and pointing to the CADETS] My Lord de Guiche, permit me to present my fellow cadets:

The bold Cadets of Gascony,
Of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux!
Brawling and swaggering boastfully,
The bold Cadets of Gascony!
Bragging of arms and heraldry,
Their veins brimming with blood so blue,
The bold Cadets of Gascony,
Of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux.
Eagle-eyed, and graceful as cats,
Fierce mustache and wolf-like grin,
They slash those before them as though they were gnats.
Eagle-eyed, and graceful as cats,
Haphazardly sporting their torn and worn hats,
With feathers to cover the holes there within,
Eagle-eyed and graceful as cats,
Fierce mustache and wolf-like grin.
Stab-Your-Belly and Slit-Your-Trunk
Are the gentlest nicknames they bear.
With fame and glory their soul is drunk!
Stab-Your-Belly and Slit-Your-Trunk,
In brawl and battle they show their spunk,
Doing things others would never dare,
Stab-Your-Belly and Slit-Your-Trunk
Are the gentlest nicknames they bear!
Behold the Cadets of Gascony!
All jealous lovers are sport for you!
Fair ladies will lose their purity!
Behold the Cadets of Gascony!
The ones all husbands fear to see,
For their wives the Cadets will woo!
Behold the Cadets of Gascony!
Husbands and lovers are game for you!

• a Gascon exclamation of distress or surprise
• crowns worn by members of the noble class
• a neighborhood in Paris; up until the 18^th century, the Marais was considered the most fashionable and aristocratic neighborhood in Paris.
• In 1631, Théophraste Renaudot (1586 – 1653) founded La Gazette, the first French newspaper.
• a set of five lines of poetry in which the same word or name is formed within all five lines
• the study of genealogy, coats of arms, and ranks of the noble class

1. Notes
2. Reading Pointers for Sharper Insights
3. Dedication
4. Dramatis Personae
5. Act I
   1. A Performance at the Hotel de Bourgogne
   2. Scene I
   3. Scene II
   4. Scene III
   5. Scene IV
   6. Scene V
   7. Scene VI
   8. Scene VII
6. Act II
   1. The Poet's Eating-House
   2. Scene I
   3. Scene II
   4. Scene III
   5. Scene IV
   6. Scene V
   7. Scene VI
   8. Scene VII
   9. Scene VIII
   10. Scene IX
   11. Scene X
   12. Scene XI
7. Act III
   1. Roxane's Kiss
   2. Scene I
   3. Scene II
   4. Scene III
   5. Scene IV
   6. Scene V
   7. Scene VI
   8. Scene VII
   9. Scene VIII
   10. Scene IX
   11. Scene X
   12. Scene XI
   13. Scene XII
8. Act IV
   1. The Cadets of Gascony
   2. Scene I
   3. Scene II
   4. Scene III
   5. Scene IV
   6. Scene V
   7. Scene VI
   8. Scene VII
   9. Scene VIII
   10. Scene IX
   11. Scene X
9. Act V
   1. Cyrano's Gazette
   2. Scene I
   3. Scene II
   4. Scene III
   5. Scene IV
   6. Scene V
   7. Scene VI
10. Copyright