The same, with ROXANE.

[DE GUICHE goes out.]

DE GUICHE:

On the King's service! You?

ROXANE:

Yes, I come in the service of the king called love! What other king is there?

CYRANO:

Great God!

CHRISTIAN:

[rushing forward] Why have you come?

ROXANE:

This siege is going on too long!

CHRISTIAN:

But—

ROXANE:

I will tell you all!

CYRANO:

[who, at the sound of her voice, has stood still, rooted to the ground, afraid to raise his eyes] My God! I don't dare to look at her!

DE GUICHE:

You cannot stay here!

ROXANE:

[merrily] Yes, I can! Who will give me a drum to sit on? [She seats herself on the drum that is rolled forward.] Thank you! [She laughs.] My carriage was fired at! [proudly] It looks just like a pumpkin, doesn't it? And my footmen like rats turned into handsome men, just like in the fairy tale! [blowing a kiss to CHRISTIAN] Good morning! [examining them all] You don't look very cheerful! Don't you know it's a long way from Paris to Arras? [seeing CYRANO] Cousin! I'm delighted to see you!

CYRANO:

[coming up to her] But how, in Heaven's name—?

ROXANE:

How did I find my way here? It was simple enough. I just had to keep going until I saw the countryside laid to waste. Ah, what horrors were there! If I had not seen it, I would never have believed it! Well, gentlemen, if this is the way you serve your king, I would certainly rather serve mine!

CYRANO:

But this is sheer madness! Where in the devil's name did you get through?

ROXANE:

Where? Through the Spanish lines, of course!

FIRST CADET:

Only a woman could get away with something like that!

DE GUICHE:

But how did you pass through their lines?

LE BRET:

Yes, that must have been extremely difficult!

ROXANE:

Not really. I simply drove calmly forward in my carriage, and whenever some proud Spaniard stopped me, I gave him my sweetest smile. And since Spaniards are the most gallant gentlemen in the world—after Frenchmen, of course—they allowed me to pass on!

CARBON:

True, that smile of yours makes a pretty passport! But were you not asked to give an account of where you were going, Madame?

ROXANE:

Yes, frequently. And in answer, I would say, “I'm going to see my lover.” At that word, the fiercest Spaniard of them all would gravely shut the carriage door, and, with a gesture that a king might envy, would signal to his men to lower the guns leveled at me. Then, with sad and graceful dignity, he would doff his hat and bow low to me, saying, “Pass on, Señorita!”

CHRISTIAN:

But, Roxane—

ROXANE:

Forgive me for saying “my lover.” But think of it! If I had said “my husband” not one of them would have let me pass!

CHRISTIAN:

But…

ROXANE:

What's the matter?

DE GUICHE:

You must leave here!

ROXANE:

Must I?

CYRANO:

Yes, and right now!

LE BRET:

At once!

CHRISTIAN:

Indeed, you must.

ROXANE:

But why must I?

CHRISTIAN:

[embarrassed] Because—

CYRANO:

[also embarrassed] In three quarters of an hour—

DE GUICHE:

[with the same look] Or less—

CARBON:

[the same] It would be best if—

LE BRET:

[the same] You might want to—

ROXANE:

You're going to fight, aren't you? I'm staying here!

ALL:

No, no!

ROXANE:

He is my husband! [She throws herself into CHRISTIAN'S arms.] They shall kill us both together!

CHRISTIAN:

What a fiery look in your eyes!

ROXANE:

You know what it signifies!

DE GUICHE:

[in despair] This is a post of mortal danger!

ROXANE:

[turning around] Mortal danger?

CYRANO:

He should know. He stationed us here.

ROXANE:

[to DE GUICHE] So! You wanted to make a widow out of me!

DE GUICHE:

No! I swear to you—

ROXANE:

I will not go! I'm reckless now, and I shall not move from here! Besides, it's quite amusing!

CYRANO:

Oh! So the lady intellectual is now a heroine as well!

ROXANE:

I am your cousin, Monsieur de Bergerac.

A CADET:

We'll defend you well!

ROXANE:

[more and more excited] I do not doubt that at all, my friends!

ANOTHER:

[ecstatically] Ah! The whole camp smells like irises!

ROXANE:

And what luck! I'm wearing a hat that will look so nice on the battlefield! [looking at DE GUICHE] Shouldn't you be going? Surely they'll begin the attack any moment!

DE GUICHE:

I won't stand for this! I'm going to inspect the cannons. When I return, I hope to see that you've changed your mind!

ROXANE:

Never!