Scene 4.I.



Christian, Carbon de Castel-Jaloux, Le Bret, the cadets, then Cyrano.



LE BRET:

  'Tis terrible.



CARBON:

  Not a morsel left.



LE BRET:

  Mordioux!



CARBON (making a sign that he should speak lower):

  Curse under your breath.  You will awake them.

(To the cadets):

  Hush!  Sleep on.

(To Le Bret):

  He who sleeps, dines!



LE BRET:

  But that is sorry comfort for the sleepless!. . .

  What starvation!



(Firing is heard in the distance.)



CARBON:

  Oh, plague take their firing!  'Twill wake my sons.

(To the cadets, who lift up their heads):

  Sleep on!



(Firing is again heard, nearer this time.)



A CADET (moving):

  The devil!. . .Again.



CARBON:

  'Tis nothing!  'Tis Cyrano coming back!



(Those who have lifted up their heads prepare to sleep again.)



A SENTINEL (from without):

  Ventrebieu!  Who goes there?



THE VOICE Of CYRANO:

  Bergerac.



The SENTINEL (who is on the redoubt):

  Ventrebieu!  Who goes there?



CYRANO (appearing at the top):

  Bergerac, idiot!



(He comes down; Le Bret advances anxiously to meet him.)



LE BRET:

  Heavens!



CYRANO (making signs that he should not awake the others):

  Hush!



LE BRET:

  Wounded?



CYRANO:

  Oh! you know it has become their custom to shoot at me every morning and to

miss me.



LE BRET:

  This passes all!  To take letters at each day's dawn.  To risk. . .



CYRANO (stopping before Christian):

  I promised he should write often.

(He looks at him):

  He sleeps.  How pale he is!  But how handsome still, despite his sufferings. 

If his poor little lady-love knew that he is dying of hunger. . .



LE BRET:

  Get you quick to bed.



CYRANO:

  Nay, never scold, Le Bret.  I ran but little risk.  I have found me a spot

to pass the Spanish lines, where each night they lie drunk.



LE BRET:

  You should try to bring us back provision.



CYRANO:

  A man must carry no weight who would get by there!  But there will be

surprise for us this night.  The French will eat or die. . .if I mistake not!



LE BRET:

  Oh!. . .tell me!. . .



CYRANO:

  Nay, not yet.  I am not certain. . .You will see!



CARBON:

  It is disgraceful that we should starve while we're besieging!



LE BRET:

  Alas, how full of complication is this siege of Arras!  To think that while

we are besieging, we should ourselves be caught in a trap and besieged by the

Cardinal Infante of Spain.



CYRANO:

  It were well done if he should be besieged in his turn.



LE BRET:

  I am in earnest.



CYRANO:

  Oh! indeed!



LE BRET:

  To think you risk a life so precious. . .for the sake of a letter. .

.Thankless one.

(Seeing him turning to enter the tent):

  Where are you going?



CYRANO:

  I am going to write another.



(He enters the tent and disappears.)