Poetry Corner: Duel at the Hotel de Bourgogne
This is from the Brian Hooker’s 1923 translation of Rostand’s CYRANO. I give some of the surrounding line, for context, in the play. The poem is being recited by Cyrano while he is fencing Valvert, who unwisely insulting the hero’s nose.
Cyrano: You shall die exquisitely.
Valvert (contemptuously): Poet!
Cyrano: Why yes, a poet if you will; so while we fence, I’ll make you a ballade extempore.
Valvert: A ballade?
Cyrano: Yes. You know what that is?
Valvert: I—
Cyrano: The ballade, sir, is formed of three stanzas of eight lines each—
Valvert: Oh come!
Cyrano: And a refrain of four.
Valvert: You—
Cyrano: I’ll compose one while I fight with you; and at the end of the last line—thrust home!
Valvert: Will you?
Cyrano (declaims): “Ballade of the duel at the Hotel de Bourgogne Between de Bergerac and a Boeotian.”
[NOTE in the 1950 film version, this title is changed to ‘…and a barbarian’ for the sake of those unlikely to catch the reference.]
Valvert (sneering): What do you mean by that?
Cyrano: Oh that? The title.
(Tableau: A ring of interested spectators in the center of the floor, the Marquis and the Officers mingling with the citizens and common folk. Pages swarming up on men’s shoulders to see better; the Ladies in the boxes standing and leaning over. To the right, De Guiche and his following; to the left, Le Bret, Cuigy, Raguneau, and other of Cyrano’s friends.)
Cyrano (closes his eyes for an instant): Stop… Let me choose my rimes… Now! Here we go—
(He suits the action to the word, throughout the following.)
Lightly I toss my hat away,
Languidly over my arm let fall
The cloak that covers my bright array-
Then out swords, and to work withal!
A Lancelot, in his Lady’s hall…
A Spartacus, at the Hippodrome!…
I dally awhile with you, dear jackal,
Then, as I end the refrain, thrust home!
(The swords cross; the fight is on.)
Where shall I skewer my peacock?… Nay,
Better for you to have shunned this brawl!-
Here, in the heart, thro’ your ribbons gay?
In the belly, under your silken shawl?
Hark, how the steel rights musical!
Mark how my point floats, light as the foam,
Ready to drive you back to the wall,
Then, as I end the refrain, thrust home!
Ho, for a rime!… You are white as whey—
You break, you cower, you cringe, you … crawl!
Tac!—and I parry your last essay:
So may the turn of the hand forestall
Life with its honey, death with its gall;
So may the turn of my fancy roam
Free, for a time, till the rimes recall,
Then, as I end the refrain, thrust home!
(He announces solemnly) Refrain:
Prince! Pray God, that is Lord of all,
Pardon your soul, for your time has come!
Beat— pass— fling you aslant, asprawl—
Then as I end the refrain…
(He lunges; Valvert staggers back and falls into the arms of his friends. Cyrano recovers, and salutes.)
—Thrust home!
Here is the scene in English. Unfortunately, I could only fid a colorized version, which detracts from the cinematography
And here is the French version, truer to the original, and starring the magnificent Gerard Depardieu
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
