'

THE FRIAR (with great delight):
O worthy lord! I knew naught was to fear;
It could be but holy business!

ROXANE (to Christian, in a low voice):
Am I not apt at reading letters?

CHRISTIAN:
Hum!

ROXANE (aloud, with despair):
But this is horrible!

THE FRIAR (who has turned his lantern on Cyrano):
'Tis you?

CHRISTIAN:
'Tis I!

THE FRIAR (turning the light on to him, and as if a doubt struck him on seeing
his beauty):
But. . .

ROXANE (quickly):
I have overlooked the postscript--see:--
'Give twenty pistoles for the Convent.'

THE FRIAR:
. . .Oh!
Most worthy lord!
(To Roxane):
Submit you?

ROXANE (with a martyr's look):
I submit!
(While Ragueneau opens the door, and Christian invites the friar to enter, she
whispers to Cyrano):
Oh, keep De Guiche at bay! He will be here!
Let him not enter till. . .

CYRANO:
I understand!
(To the friar):
What time need you to tie the marriage-knot?

THE FRIAR:
A quarter of an hour.

CYRANO (pushing them all toward the house):
Go! I stay.

ROXANE (to Christian):
Come!. . .

(They enter.)

CYRANO:
Now, how to detain De Guiche so long?
(He jumps on the bench, climbs to the balcony by the wall):
Come!. . .up I go!. . .I have my plan!. . .
(The lutes begin to play a very sad air):
What, ho!
(The tremolo grows more and more weird):
It is a man! ay! 'tis a man this time!
(He is on the balcony, pulls his hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps
himself in his cloak, then leans over):
'Tis not too high!
(He strides across the balcony, and drawing to him a long branch of one of the
trees that are by the garden wall, he hangs on to it with both hands, ready to
let himself fall):
I'll shake this atmosphere!

Scene 3.XI.

Cyrano, De Guiche.

DE GUICHE (who enters, masked, feeling his way in the dark):
What can that cursed Friar be about?

CYRANO:
The devil!. . .If he knows my voice!
(Letting go with one hand, he pretends to turn an invisible key. Solemnly):
Cric! Crac!
Assume thou, Cyrano, to serve the turn,
The accent of thy native Bergerac!. . .

DE GUICHE (looking at the house):
'Tis there. I see dim,--this mask hinders me!
(He is about to enter, when Cyrano leaps from the balcony, holding on to the
branch, which bends, dropping him between the door and De Guiche; he pretends
to fall heavily, as from a great height, and lies flat on the ground,
motionless, as i