How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line)
Quote #4
CYRANO (Calls to Lise)
Madame!—
(She leaves the Musketeer and comes down to him.)
This musketeer—
He is making love to you?
LISE (Haughtily)
If any man
Offends my virtue—all I have to do
Is look at him—once!
CYRANO (Looks at her gravely; she drops her eyes.)
I do not find
Those eyes of yours unconquerable.
LISE (Panting)
—Ah!
CYRANO (Raising his voice a little.)
Now listen—I am fond of Ragueneau;
I allow no one—do you understand?—
To…take his name in vain! (II.133-140)
Unlike Ragueneau, Cyrano is not deceived by Lise. He read from her looks and gestures earlier that Lise was having an affair with the musketeer.
Quote #5
ROXANE
Listen:
I…love someone.
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
Someone who does not know.
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
At least—not yet.
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
But he will know
Some day.
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
A big boy who loves me too,
And is afraid of me, and keeps away.
And never says one word.
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
Let me have
Your hand a moment—why how hot it is!—
I know. I see him trying…
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
There now!
Is that better?—
(She finishes bandaging the hand with her handkerchief.)
Besides—only to think—
(This is a secret.) He is a soldier too,
In your own regiment—
CYRANO:
Ah!...
ROXANE:
Yes, in the Guards,
Your company too.
CYRANO
Ah!...
ROXANE
And such a man!—
He is proud— noble—young—brave—beautiful—
CYRANO (Turns pale; rises.)
Beautiful?—
ROXANE
What’s the matter?
CYRANO (Smiling)
Nothing—this—
My sore hand!
ROXANE
Well, I love him. That is all.
Oh—and I never saw him anywhere
Except the Comedie.
CYRANO
You have never spoken?—
ROXANE
Only our eyes…
CYRANO
Why then—How do you know?—
ROXANE People talk about people; and I hear
Things…and I know.
CYRANO
You say he is in the Guards.
His name?
ROXANE
Baron Christian de Neuvillette. (II.192-211)
This is a good example of dramatic irony: Cyrano thinks Roxane is talking about him while the audience knows she is really talking about Christian. Cyrano is blind to the fact that other men can have the same qualities as he (except beauty), and Roxane is blind to the fact that Cyrano is deeply, hopelessly in love with her.
Quote #6
CHRISTIAN
Does it mean
So much to you?
CYRANO (Beside himself)
It means—
(Recovers, changes tone.)
A Comedy,
A situation for a poet! Come,
Shall we collaborate? I’ll be your cloak
Of darkness, your enchanted sword, your ring
To charm the fairy Princess!
CHRISTIAN
But the letter—
I cannot write—
CYRANO
Oh yes, the letter.
(He takes from his pocket the letter which he has written.)
Here. (II.573-579)
Cyrano dupes Christian into thinking that wooing Roxane means nothing more to him than a poetic challenge, an exercise in wordsmanship. So throughout the play, he is guilty of deceiving both of the would-be lovers.