How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line)
Quote #1
A GUARDSMAN (to a flower girl who comes forward)
How sweet
Of you to come before they light the hall!
(Puts his arm around her)
FIRST CAVALIER (Receives a thrust of the foil)
A hit!
SECOND LACKEY
A club!
THE GUARDSMAN (Pursuing the girl)
A kiss!
THE FLOWER GIRL (Pushing away from him)
They’ll see us!
THE GUARDSMAN (Draws her into a dark corner)
No danger! (I.8-10)
Love, or lust in this particular case, is like war in Cyrano de Bergerac. The language of the amorous guardsman and the reluctant flower girl are given in terse, exclaimed language—hits or strikes from verbal sparring.
Quote #2
CHRISTIAN
A little longer! She is always here.
Please! I must find some way of meeting her.
I am dying of love! (I.71-73)
Christian shows us how easily the term "love" is thrown out in the play; his exaggerations and melodrama are par for the course.
Quote #3
CHRISTIAN (Looks up, sees ROXANE, and seizes LIGNIÈRE by the arm.)
There! Quick—up there—
In the box! Look!
LIGNIÈRE (coolly)
Herself?
CHRISTIAN
Quickly—Her name?
LIGNIÈRE (Sipping his wine, and speaking between sips)
Madeleine Robin, called Roxane… refined…
Intellectual…
CHRISTIAN
Ah!
LIGNIÈRE
Unmarried…
CHRISTIAN
Oh!— (I.145-149)
Christian doesn’t even know Roxane’s name before he goes about declaring his love for her.