Act IV: The Cadets of GasconyScene I
Post occupied by company of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux at the siege of Arras.
In the background an embankment across the whole stage. Beyond, view of plain extending to the horizon. The country covered with intrenchments. The walls of Arras and the outlines of its roofs against the sky in the distance. Tents. Arms strewn about, drums, etc. Day is breaking with a faint glimmer of yellow sunrise in the east. Sentinels at different points. Watch-fires. The cadets of Gascony, wrapped in their mantles, are sleeping. Carbon de Castel-Jaloux and Le Bret are keeping watch. They are very pale and thin. Christian sleeps among the others in his cloak in the foreground, his face illuminated by the fire. Silence.
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.