University of Virginia Library

Scene I.

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

'Tis terrible.

CARBON

Not a morsel left.

LE BRET

Mordious!

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.)