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A Timeless Classic Revived in Modern Prose!"
Edmond Rostand's magnum opus, 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' has captivated and moved audiences for over a century. Yet, the multitude of translations over the years has sometimes muddied its lyrical beauty. Now, with BookCaps' fresh, contemporary adaptation, delve deep into this timeless tale like never before!
Meet Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac: a soldier, a poet, a musician, and an unparalleled duelist. His formidable skills and talents, however, are overshadowed by a self-consciousness about his prominently large nose. This self-doubt becomes an emotional barrier, stopping him from confessing his profound love for his witty and radiant cousin, Roxane. Afraid that his appearance would never befit love's ideals, he wrestles internally with hope and heartache.
If you've ever felt the weight of outdated translations or struggled with deciphering old English, let BookCaps introduce you to 'Cyrano' in a language that resonates today. Dive into a narrative that beautifully blends romance, humor, and drama, brought vividly to life for the modern reader!
Read Cyrano de Bergerac In Plain and Simple English Now!
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Excerpt From Cyrano de Bergerac In Plain and Simple English
Scene 1.I.
The public, arriving by degreesTroopers, burghers, lackeys, pages, a
pickpocket, the doorkeeper, etc., followed by the marquisesCuigy,
Brissaille, the buffet-girl, the violinists, etc.
(A confusion of loud voices is heard outside the doorA trooper enters
hastily.)
THE DOORKEEPER (following him):
Hollo!You there!Your money!
Hello!You there!You haven't paid!
THE TROOPER:
I enter gratis.
I get free admission.
THE DOORKEEPER:
Why?
Why?
THE TROOPER:
Why?I am of the King's Household Cavalry, 'faith!
Why?I'm a member of the King's Household Cavalry, by God!
THE DOORKEEPER (to another trooper who enters):
And you?
And you?
SECOND TROOPER:
I pay nothing.
I don't pay.
THE DOORKEEPER:
How so?
Why not?
SECOND TROOPER:
I am a musketeer.
I am a musketeer.
FIRST TROOPER (to the second):
The play will not begin till twoThe pit is emptyCome, a bout with the
foils to pass the time.
The play doesn't start until twoThere's nobody in the pitCome on, let's pass the time with some fencing practice.
(They fence with the foils they have brought.)
A LACKEY (entering):
Pst.Flanquin.!
Psst...Flanquin...!
ANOTHER (already there):
Champagne?.
Champagne?
THE FIRST (showing him cards and dice which he takes from his doublet):
See, here be cards and dice.
(He seats himself on the floor):
Let's play.
Look, I've got cards and diceLet's have a game.
THE SECOND (doing the same):
Good; I am with you, villain!
Good, I'll join you, scoundrel!
FIRST LACKEY (taking from his pocket a candle-end, which he lights, and sticks
on the floor):
I made free to provide myself with light at my master's expense!
I took the liberty of helping myself to one of my master's candles!
A GUARDSMAN (to a shop-girl who advances):
'Twas prettily done to come before the lights were lit!
It was sweet of you to come before the lights are on!
(He takes her round the waist.)
ONE OF THE FENCERS (receiving a thrust):
A hit!
That's a hit!
ONE OF THE CARD-PLAYERS:
Clubs!
Clubs!
THE GUARDSMAN (following the girl):
A kiss!
Give me a kiss!
THE SHOP-GIRL (struggling to free herself):
They're looking!
They're watching!
THE GUARDSMAN (drawing her to a dark corner):
No fear!No one can see!
Don't worry!No-one can see us!
A MAN (sitting on the ground with others, who have brought their provisions):
By coming early, one can eat in comfort.
If you arrive early, you can eat without being disturbed.
A BURGHER (conducting his son):
Let us sit here, son.
Let's sit here, son.
A CARD-PLAYER:
Triple ace!
Three aces!
A MAN (taking a bottle from under his cloak,
and also seating himself on the floor):
A tippler may well quaff his Burgundy
(he drinks):
in the Burgundy Hotel!
A boozer can enjoy his Burgundy, in the Burgundy Hotel!
THE BURGHER (to his son):
'Faith!A man might think he had fallen in a bad house here!
(He points with his cane to the drunkard):
What with topers!
(One of the fencers in breaking off, jostles him):
brawlers!
(He stumbles into the midst of the card-players):
gamblers!
I swear, one would think one was in a brothel here,
what with the boozers,
the brawlers,
the gamblers!
THE GUARDSMAN (behind him, still teasing the shop-girl):
Come, one kiss!
Come on, just one kiss!
THE BURGHER (hurriedly pulling his son away):
By all the holies!And this, my boy, is the theater where they played
Rotrou erewhile.
For heaven's sake! And this, my boy, is the theatre where they played Rotrou not long ago.
THE YOUNG MAN:
Ay, and Corneille!
Yes, and Corneille!
A TROOP OF PAGES (hand-in-hand, enter dancing the farandole, and singing):
Tra' a la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lere.
Tra la la la la la la la la la la lere...
THE DOORKEEPER (sternly, to the pages):
You pages there, none of your tricks!.
You servants, we'll have none of your tricks!
FIRST PAGE (with an air of wounded dignity):
Oh, sir!--such a suspicion!.
(Briskly, to the second page, the moment the doorkeeper's back is turned):
Have you string?
Oh sir!Such suspicions!
Have you got any string?
THE SECOND:
Ay, and a fish-hook with it.
Yes, and a fishhook to go with it.
FIRST PAGE:
We can angle for wigs, then, up there i' th' gallery.
We'll fish for wigs, then, up there in the gallery.
A PICKPOCKET (gathering about him some evil-looking youths):
Hark ye, young cut-purses, lend an ear, while I give you your first lesson
in thieving.
Listen up, young pickpockets, listen to me, while I give you your first lesson in thieving.
SECOND PAGE (calling up to others in the top galleries):
You there!Have you peashooters?
You up there!Have you got peashooters?
THIRD PAGE (from above):
Ay, have we, and peas withal!
Yes, we have, and peas to go with them!
(He blows, and peppers them with peas.)
THE YOUNG MAN (to his father):
What piece do they give us?
What are they showing tonight?
THE BURGHER:
'Clorise.'
'Clorise.'
THE YOUNG MAN:
Who may the author be?
Who wrote it?
THE BURGHER:
Master Balthazar BaroIt is a play!.
Master Balthazar BaroIt's a fine play!
(He goes arm-in-arm with his son.)
THE PICKPOCKET (to his pupils):
Have a care, above all, of the lace knee-ruffles--cut them off!
And watch out, above all, for lace ruffles round the knees of their breechescut them off!
A SPECTATOR (to another, showing him a corner in the gallery):
I was up there, the first night of the 'Cid.'
I was watching from up there, the first night of the 'Cid.'
THE PICKPOCKET (making with his fingers the gesture of filching):
Thus for watches--
So do this, to get watches
THE BURGHER (coming down again with his son):
Ah!You shall presently see some renowned actors.
Ah!You'll shortly see some famous actors…
THE PICKPOCKET (making the gestures of one who pulls something stealthily,
with little jerks):
Thus for handkerchiefs--
Like this, for handkerchiefs
THE BURGHER:
Montfleury.
There's Montfleury…
SOME ONE (shouting from the upper gallery):
Light up, below there!
Let's have some lights down there!
THE BURGHER:
.Bellerose, L'Epy, La Beaupre, Jodelet!
Bellerose, L'Epy, La Beaupre, Jodelet!
A PAGE (in the pit):
Here comes the buffet-girl!
Here comes the refreshment girl!
THE BUFFET-GIRL (taking her place behind the buffet):
Oranges, milk, raspberry-water, cedar bitters!
Oranges, milk, raspberry-water, cedar bitters!
(A hubbub outside the door is heard.)
A FALSETTO VOICE:
Make place, brutes!
Make way, brites!
A LACKEY (astonished):
The Marquises!--in the pit?.
The Marquises!In the pit?
ANOTHER LACKEY:
Oh! only for a minute or two!
Oh!Only for a minute or two!
(Enter a band of young marquises.)
A MARQUIS (seeing that the hall is half empty):
What now!So we make our entrance like a pack of woolen-drapers!
Peaceably, without disturbing the folk, or treading on their toes!--Oh, fie!
Fie!
(Recognizing some other gentlemen who have entered a little before him):
Cuigy!Brissaille!
How about this!So we come in like a bunch of wool merchants!
Quietly, without disturbing anybody, or treading on their toes!Oh, damn!
Damn!
Cuigy!Brissaille!
(Greetings and embraces.)
CUIGY:
True to our word!.Troth, we are here before the candles are lit.
Just as we said!Here we are before the candles are lit.
THE MARQUIS:
Ay, indeed!Enough!I am of an ill humor.
Yes indeed!Enough!I'm in a bad mood.
ANOTHER:
Nay, nay, Marquis! see, for your consolation, they are coming to light up!
No, no, Marquis! Look, for your comfort, they are coming to light the candles.
ALL THE AUDIENCE (welcoming the entrance of the lighter):
Ah!.
Ah!
(They form in groups round the lusters as they are litSome people have
taken their seats in the galleriesLigniere, a distinguished-looking roue,
with disordered shirt-front arm-in-arm with christian de Neuvillette.
Christian, who is dressed elegantly, but rather behind the fashion, seems
preoccupied, and keeps looking at the boxes.)
The public, arriving by degreesTroopers, burghers, lackeys, pages, a
pickpocket, the doorkeeper, etc., followed by the marquisesCuigy,
Brissaille, the buffet-girl, the violinists, etc.
(A confusion of loud voices is heard outside the doorA trooper enters
hastily.)
THE DOORKEEPER (following him):
Hollo!You there!Your money!
Hello!You there!You haven't paid!
THE TROOPER:
I enter gratis.
I get free admission.
THE DOORKEEPER:
Why?
Why?
THE TROOPER:
Why?I am of the King's Household Cavalry, 'faith!
Why?I'm a member of the King's Household Cavalry, by God!
THE DOORKEEPER (to another trooper who enters):
And you?
And you?
SECOND TROOPER:
I pay nothing.
I don't pay.
THE DOORKEEPER:
How so?
Why not?
SECOND TROOPER:
I am a musketeer.
I am a musketeer.
FIRST TROOPER (to the second):
The play will not begin till twoThe pit is emptyCome, a bout with the
foils to pass the time.
The play doesn't start until twoThere's nobody in the pitCome on, let's pass the time with some fencing practice.
(They fence with the foils they have brought.)
A LACKEY (entering):
Pst.Flanquin.!
Psst...Flanquin...!
ANOTHER (already there):
Champagne?.
Champagne?
THE FIRST (showing him cards and dice which he takes from his doublet):
See, here be cards and dice.
(He seats himself on the floor):
Let's play.
Look, I've got cards and diceLet's have a game.
THE SECOND (doing the same):
Good; I am with you, villain!
Good, I'll join you, scoundrel!
FIRST LACKEY (taking from his pocket a candle-end, which he lights, and sticks
on the floor):
I made free to provide myself with light at my master's expense!
I took the liberty of helping myself to one of my master's candles!
A GUARDSMAN (to a shop-girl who advances):
'Twas prettily done to come before the lights were lit!
It was sweet of you to come before the lights are on!
(He takes her round the waist.)
ONE OF THE FENCERS (receiving a thrust):
A hit!
That's a hit!
ONE OF THE CARD-PLAYERS:
Clubs!
Clubs!
THE GUARDSMAN (following the girl):
A kiss!
Give me a kiss!
THE SHOP-GIRL (struggling to free herself):
They're looking!
They're watching!
THE GUARDSMAN (drawing her to a dark corner):
No fear!No one can see!
Don't worry!No-one can see us!
A MAN (sitting on the ground with others, who have brought their provisions):
By coming early, one can eat in comfort.
If you arrive early, you can eat without being disturbed.
A BURGHER (conducting his son):
Let us sit here, son.
Let's sit here, son.
A CARD-PLAYER:
Triple ace!
Three aces!
A MAN (taking a bottle from under his cloak,
and also seating himself on the floor):
A tippler may well quaff his Burgundy
(he drinks):
in the Burgundy Hotel!
A boozer can enjoy his Burgundy, in the Burgundy Hotel!
THE BURGHER (to his son):
'Faith!A man might think he had fallen in a bad house here!
(He points with his cane to the drunkard):
What with topers!
(One of the fencers in breaking off, jostles him):
brawlers!
(He stumbles into the midst of the card-players):
gamblers!
I swear, one would think one was in a brothel here,
what with the boozers,
the brawlers,
the gamblers!
THE GUARDSMAN (behind him, still teasing the shop-girl):
Come, one kiss!
Come on, just one kiss!
THE BURGHER (hurriedly pulling his son away):
By all the holies!And this, my boy, is the theater where they played
Rotrou erewhile.
For heaven's sake! And this, my boy, is the theatre where they played Rotrou not long ago.
THE YOUNG MAN:
Ay, and Corneille!
Yes, and Corneille!
A TROOP OF PAGES (hand-in-hand, enter dancing the farandole, and singing):
Tra' a la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lere.
Tra la la la la la la la la la la lere...
THE DOORKEEPER (sternly, to the pages):
You pages there, none of your tricks!.
You servants, we'll have none of your tricks!
FIRST PAGE (with an air of wounded dignity):
Oh, sir!--such a suspicion!.
(Briskly, to the second page, the moment the doorkeeper's back is turned):
Have you string?
Oh sir!Such suspicions!
Have you got any string?
THE SECOND:
Ay, and a fish-hook with it.
Yes, and a fishhook to go with it.
FIRST PAGE:
We can angle for wigs, then, up there i' th' gallery.
We'll fish for wigs, then, up there in the gallery.
A PICKPOCKET (gathering about him some evil-looking youths):
Hark ye, young cut-purses, lend an ear, while I give you your first lesson
in thieving.
Listen up, young pickpockets, listen to me, while I give you your first lesson in thieving.
SECOND PAGE (calling up to others in the top galleries):
You there!Have you peashooters?
You up there!Have you got peashooters?
THIRD PAGE (from above):
Ay, have we, and peas withal!
Yes, we have, and peas to go with them!
(He blows, and peppers them with peas.)
THE YOUNG MAN (to his father):
What piece do they give us?
What are they showing tonight?
THE BURGHER:
'Clorise.'
'Clorise.'
THE YOUNG MAN:
Who may the author be?
Who wrote it?
THE BURGHER:
Master Balthazar BaroIt is a play!.
Master Balthazar BaroIt's a fine play!
(He goes arm-in-arm with his son.)
THE PICKPOCKET (to his pupils):
Have a care, above all, of the lace knee-ruffles--cut them off!
And watch out, above all, for lace ruffles round the knees of their breechescut them off!
A SPECTATOR (to another, showing him a corner in the gallery):
I was up there, the first night of the 'Cid.'
I was watching from up there, the first night of the 'Cid.'
THE PICKPOCKET (making with his fingers the gesture of filching):
Thus for watches--
So do this, to get watches
THE BURGHER (coming down again with his son):
Ah!You shall presently see some renowned actors.
Ah!You'll shortly see some famous actors…
THE PICKPOCKET (making the gestures of one who pulls something stealthily,
with little jerks):
Thus for handkerchiefs--
Like this, for handkerchiefs
THE BURGHER:
Montfleury.
There's Montfleury…
SOME ONE (shouting from the upper gallery):
Light up, below there!
Let's have some lights down there!
THE BURGHER:
.Bellerose, L'Epy, La Beaupre, Jodelet!
Bellerose, L'Epy, La Beaupre, Jodelet!
A PAGE (in the pit):
Here comes the buffet-girl!
Here comes the refreshment girl!
THE BUFFET-GIRL (taking her place behind the buffet):
Oranges, milk, raspberry-water, cedar bitters!
Oranges, milk, raspberry-water, cedar bitters!
(A hubbub outside the door is heard.)
A FALSETTO VOICE:
Make place, brutes!
Make way, brites!
A LACKEY (astonished):
The Marquises!--in the pit?.
The Marquises!In the pit?
ANOTHER LACKEY:
Oh! only for a minute or two!
Oh!Only for a minute or two!
(Enter a band of young marquises.)
A MARQUIS (seeing that the hall is half empty):
What now!So we make our entrance like a pack of woolen-drapers!
Peaceably, without disturbing the folk, or treading on their toes!--Oh, fie!
Fie!
(Recognizing some other gentlemen who have entered a little before him):
Cuigy!Brissaille!
How about this!So we come in like a bunch of wool merchants!
Quietly, without disturbing anybody, or treading on their toes!Oh, damn!
Damn!
Cuigy!Brissaille!
(Greetings and embraces.)
CUIGY:
True to our word!.Troth, we are here before the candles are lit.
Just as we said!Here we are before the candles are lit.
THE MARQUIS:
Ay, indeed!Enough!I am of an ill humor.
Yes indeed!Enough!I'm in a bad mood.
ANOTHER:
Nay, nay, Marquis! see, for your consolation, they are coming to light up!
No, no, Marquis! Look, for your comfort, they are coming to light the candles.
ALL THE AUDIENCE (welcoming the entrance of the lighter):
Ah!.
Ah!
(They form in groups round the lusters as they are litSome people have
taken their seats in the galleriesLigniere, a distinguished-looking roue,
with disordered shirt-front arm-in-arm with christian de Neuvillette.
Christian, who is dressed elegantly, but rather behind the fashion, seems
preoccupied, and keeps looking at the boxes.)
Translation missing: en.general.search.loading