Act 4 — SCENE I.
Charles Renauld translation
CHRISTIAN, CARBON OF HAUGHTY-HALL, LE BRET, THE CADETS, later CYRANO.
LE BRET.
It's awful!
CARBON.
Yes, nothing left to eat.
LE BRET.
Mordious!
CARBON (motioning to him to speak lower).
Deaden your oaths! or you'll wake the men.
(to the Cadets).
Sleep on!
(to Le Bret).
He who sleeps eats!
LE BRET.
Yes, but waking starves!
(A few musket reports are heard in the distance.)
CARBON.
Confound the muskets!.... They'll wake up my children.
(to several of the Cadets who lift up their heads).
Sleep!
(More musketry, nearer).
A CADET (tossing).
The Devil! again?
CARBON.
It's nothing! Only Cyrano coming back!
(The lifted heads lie down again.)
A SENTINEL (outside).
Who goes there?
CYRANO (outside).
Bergerac!
A SENTINEL (on the embankment).
Ventrebieu! who goes there?
CYRANO.
Bergerac, you idiot!
(He comes down and is met by Le Bret.)
LE BRET.
What, you! wounded?
CYRANO (raising his hand).
Hush! You know that they miss me regularly every morning.
LE BRET.
What! risk your life thus, every day, just to carry a letter without the camp! That is going too far.
CYRANO (stopping in front of Christian).
I promised that he would write often!
(looking at him).
He sleeps. How pale! If sweet Roxane knew that he is starving! But he has not lost his good looks.
LE BRET.
Go get some sleep!
CYRANO.
Don't growl, Le Bret!.... Remember this: To pass through the Spanish lines, I long ago selected a place where they are invariably drunk.
LE BRET.
Why don't you once bring back some provisions?
CYRANO.
A load would not leave me light enough to pass through. But there is going to be a change. We, the French, shall soon eat.... or die,—if my eyes did not deceive me....
LE BRET.
How soon?
CYRANO.
You'll see!.... I'm not sure enough to speak.
CARBON.
Isn't it shameful that the besiegers should be the ones to starve!
LE BRET.
An extraordinary siege this! We are besieging Arras, and the Spanish are besieging us.
CYRANO.
Somebody should come now to besiege the Spanish.
LE BRET.
Do not joke so.—When I think that a life, precious as yours is, can be risked daily just to carry....
(Cyrano walks toward one of the tents.)
Where are you going?
CYRANO.
I am going to write another letter.
(Enters tent.)