o love men hate me!
Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better
'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!
How droll the stains one sees on fine-laced doublets,
From gall of envy, or the poltroon's drivel!
--The enervating friendship which enfolds you
Is like an open-laced Italian collar,
Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;
One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!
The forehead, free from mainstay or coercion,
Bends here, there, everywhere. But I, embracing
Hatred, she lends,--forbidding, stiffly fluted,
The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid;
Each enemy--another fold--a gopher,
Who adds constraint, and adds a ray of glory;
For Hatred, like the ruff worn by the Spanish,
Grips like a vice, but frames you like a halo!

LE BRET (after a silence, taking his arm):
Speak proud aloud, and bitter!--In my ear
Whisper me simply this,--She loves thee not!

CYRANO (vehemently):
Hush!

(Christian has just entered, and mingled with the cadets, who do not speak to
him; he has seated himself at a table, where Lise serves him.)

Scene 2.IX.

Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, Christian de Neuvillette.

A CADET (seated at a table, glass in hand):
Cyrano!
(Cyrano turns round):
The story!

CYRANO:
In its time!

(He goes up on Le Bret's arm. They talk in low voices.)

THE CADET (rising and coming down):
The story of the fray! 'Twill lesson well
(He stops before the table where Christian is seated):
This timid young apprentice!

CHRISTIAN (raising his head):
'Prentice! Who?

ANOTHER CADET:
This sickly Northern greenhorn!

CHRISTIAN:
Sickly!

FIRST CADET (mockingly):
Hark!
Monsieur de Neuvillette, this in your ear:
There's somewhat here, one no more dares to name,
Than to say 'rope' to one whose sire was hanged!

CHRISTIAN:
What may that be?

ANOTHER CADET (in a terrible voice):
See here!
(He puts his finger three times, mysteriously, on his nose):
Do you understand?

CHRISTIAN:
Oh! 'tis the. . .

ANOTHER:
Hush! oh, never breathe that word,
Unless you'd reckon with him yonder!

(He points to Cyrano, who is talking with Le Bret.)

ANOTHER (who has meanwhile come up noiselessly to sit on the table--whispering
behind him):
Hark!
He put two snuffling men to death, in rage,
For the sole reason they spoke through their nose!

ANOTHER (in a hollow voice, darting on all-fours from under