Act V.

Cyrano's Gazette.

Fifteen years later, in 1655. Park of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Paris. Magnificent trees. On the left the house:   broad steps on to which open several doors. An enormous plane tree in the middle of the stage, standing alone. On the right, among big boxwood trees, a semicircular stone bench.

The whole background of the stage is crossed by an alley of chestnut trees leading on the right hand to the door of a chapel seen through the branches. Through the double row of trees of this alley are seen lawns, other alleys, clusters of trees, winding of the park, the sky.

The chapel opens by a little side door on to a colonnade which is wreathed with autumn leaves, and is lost to view a little farther on in the right-hand foreground behind the boxwood.

It is autumn. All the foliage is red against the fresh green of the lawns. The green boxwood and yews stand out dark.

Under each tree a patch of yellow leaves.

The stage is strewn with dead leaves, which rustle under foot in the alleys, and half cover the steps and benches.

Between the benches on the right hand and the tree a large embroidery frame, in front of which a little chair has been set.

Baskets full of skeins and balls of wool. A tapestry begun.

At the rising of the curtains nuns are walking to and fro in the park; some are seated on the bench around an older Sister.

The leaves are falling.



Scene 5.I.

Mother Marguerite, Sister Martha, Sister Claire, other sisters.

SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite):
   Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once - nay, twice, to see if her coif suited.

MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire):
   'Tis not well.

SISTER CLAIRE:
   But I saw Sister Martha take a plum
   Out of the tart.

MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Martha):
   That was ill done, my sister.

SISTER CLAIRE:
   A little glance!

SISTER MARTHA:
   And such a little plum!

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano.

SISTER CLAIRE:
   Nay, prithee do not! - he will mock!

SISTER MARTHA:
   He'll say we nuns are vain!

SISTER CLAIRE:
   And greedy!

MOTHER MARGUERITE (smiling):
   Ay, and kind!

SISTER CLAIRE:
   Is it not true, pray, Mother Marguerite,
   That he has come, each week, on Saturday
   For ten years, to the convent?

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   Ay! and more!
   Ever since - fourteen years ago - the day
   His cousin brought here, 'midst our woolen coifs,
   The worldly mourning of her widow's veil,
   Like a blackbird's wing among the convent doves!

SISTER MARTHA:
   He only has the skill to turn her mind
   From grief - unsoftened yet by Time - unhealed!

ALL THE SISTERS:
   He is so droll! - It's cheerful when he comes! -
   He teases us! - But we all like him well! -
    - We make him pasties of angelica!

SISTER MARTHA:
   But, he is not a faithful Catholic!

SISTER CLAIRE:
   We will convert him!

THE SISTERS:
   Yes! Yes!

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   I forbid,
   My daughters, you attempt that subject. Nay,
   Weary him not - he might less oft come here!

SISTER MARTHA:
   But . . .God . . .

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   Nay, never fear! God knows him well!

SISTER MARTHA:
   But - every Saturday, when he arrives,
   He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!'

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   Ah! says he so? Well, the last time he came
   Food had not passed his lips for two whole days!

SISTER MARTHA:
   Mother!

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   He's poor.

SISTER MARTHA:
   Who told you so, dear Mother?

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   Monsieur Le Bret.

SISTER MARTHA:
   None help him?

MOTHER MARGUERITE:
   He permits not.
(In an alley at the back Roxane appears, dressed in black, with a widow's coif and veil. De Guiche, imposing-looking and visibly aged, walks by her side. They saunter slowly. Mother Marguerite rises):
   'Tis time we go in; Madame Madeleine
   Walks in the garden with a visitor.

SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice):
   The Marshal of Grammont?

SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him):
   'Tis he, I think.

SISTER MARTHA:
   'Tis many months now since he came to see her.

THE SISTERS:
   He is so busy! - The Court, - the camp! . . .

SISTER CLAIRE:
   The world!

(They go out. De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence, and stop close to the embroidery frame.)





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