The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chantecler, by Edmond Rostand
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Title: Chantecler
Play in Four Acts
Author: Edmond Rostand
Release Date: January 19, 2004 [EBook #10747]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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CHANTECLER
Play in Four Acts
By
EDMOND ROSTAND
Translated
By
GERTRUDE HALL
1910
_DRAMATIS PERSONAE_
CHANTECLER
PATOU
THE BLACKBIRD
THE PEACOCK
THE NIGHTINGALE
THE GRAND-DUKE
THE SCREECH-OWL
LITTLE SCOPS
THE GAME-COCK
THE HUNTING DOG
A CARRIER-PIGEON
THE WOOD-PECKER
THE TURKEY
THE DUCK
THE YOUNG GUINEA-COCK
THE PHEASANT-HEN
THE GUINEA-HEN
THE OLD HEN
THE WHITE HEN
THE GREY HEN
THE BLACK HEN
THE SPECKLED HEN
THE TUFTED HEN
A Gander. A Capon. Chickens. Chicks. A Cockerel.
A Swan. A Cuckoo. Night-birds. Fancy Cocks.
Toads. A Turkey-hen. A Goose. A Garden Warbler.
A Woodland Warbler. A Spider. A Heron. A Pigeon.
A Guinea-pig. Barnyard animals. Woodland Creatures.
Rabbits. Birds. Bees. Cicadas. Voices.
PROLOGUE
_The customary three knocks are heard. The drop-curtain wavers and is
rising, when a voice rings out, "Not yet!" and the_ MANAGER, _a
gentleman of important mien in evening dress, springing from his
proscenium box, hurries toward the stage, repeating, "Not yet!"_
_The curtain is again lowered. The_ MANAGER _turns toward the audience,
and resting one hand on the prompter's box, addresses them:_
The curtain is a wall,--a flying wall. Assured that presently the wall
will fly--why haste? Is it not charming to delay--and just look at it
for a while?
Charming to sit before a great red wall, hanging beneath two gilt masks
and a scroll--The thrilling moment is when the curtain thrills, and
sounds come from the other side.
You are desired to-night to listen to those sounds and entering the
scene before you see it, to wonder and surmise--
_Bending his ear, the_ MANAGER _listens to the sounds now beginning to
come from behind the curtain._
A footstep--is it a road? A flutter of wings--is it a garden?
_The curtain here rippling as if about to
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