按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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。
92
… Page 93…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
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。）
SCENE 4。II。
The same； all but Cyrano。 The day is breaking in a rosy light。 The
town of Arras is golden in the horizon。 The report of cannon is heard in
the distance； followed immediately by the beating of drums far away to
the left。 Other drums are heard much nearer。 Sounds of stirring in the
camp。 Voices of officers in the distance。
CARBON （sighing）： The reveille！ （The cadets move and stretch
themselves）： Nourishing sleep！ Thou art at an end！。 。 。I know well
what will be their first cry！
A CADET （sitting up）： I am so hungry！
ANOTHER： I am dying of hunger。
TOGETHER： Oh！
CARBON： Up with you！
THIRD CADET： Cannot move a limb。
FOURTH CADET： Nor can I。
THE FIRST （looking at himself in a bit of armor）： My tongue is
yellow。 The air at this season of the year is hard to digest。
ANOTHER： My coronet for a bit of Chester！
ANOTHER： If none can furnish to my gaster wherewith to make a
pint of chyle； I shall retire to my tentlike Achilles！
ANOTHER： Oh！ something！ were it but a crust！
CARBON （going to the tent and calling softly）： Cyrano！
ALL THE CADETS： We are dying！
CARBON （continuing to speak under his breath at the opening of the
tent）： Come to my aid； you； who have the art of quick retort and gay
93
… Page 94…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
jest。 Come； hearten them up。
SECOND CADET （rushing toward another who is munching
something）： What are you crunching there？
FIRST CADET： Cannon…wads soaked in axle…grease！ 'Tis poor
hunting round about Arras！
A CADET （entering）： I have been after game。
ANOTHER （following him）： And I after fish。
ALL （rushing to the two newcomers）： Well！ what have you
brought？a pheasant？a carp？Come； show us quick！
THE ANGLER： A gudgeon！
THE SPORTSMAN： A sparrow！
ALL TOGETHER （beside themselves）： 'Tis more than can be borne！
We will mutiny！
CARBON： Cyrano！ Come to my help。
（The daylight has now come。）
SCENE 4。III。
The SAME。 Cyrano。
CYRANO （appearing from the tent； very calm； with a pen stuck
behind his ear and a book in his hand）： What is wrong？ （Silence。 To
the first cadet）： Why drag you your legs so sorrowfully？
THE CADET： I have something in my heels which weighs them
down。
CYRANO： And what may that be？
THE CADET： My stomach！
CYRANO： So have I； 'faith！
THE CADET： It must be in your way？
CYRANO： Nay； I am all the taller。
A THIRD： My stomach's hollow。
CYRANO： 'Faith； 'twill make a fine drum to sound the assault。
ANOTHER： I have a ringing in my ears。
CYRANO： No； no； 'tis false； a hungry stomach has no ears。
ANOTHER： Oh； to eat somethingsomething oily！
94
… Page 95…
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
CYRANO （pulling off the cadet's helmet and holding it out to him）：
Behold your salad！
ANOTHER： What； in God's name； can we devour？
CYRANO （throwing him the book which he is carrying）： The
'Iliad'。
ANOTHER： The first minister in Paris has his four meals a day！
CYRANO： 'Twere courteous an he sent you a few partridges！
THE SAME： And why not？ with wine； too！
CYRANO： A little Burgundy。 Richelieu； s'il vous plait！
THE SAME： He could send it by one of his friars。
CYRANO： Ay！ by His Eminence Joseph himself。
ANOTHER： I am as ravenous as an ogre！
CYRANO： Eat your patience； then。
THE FIRST CADET （shrugging his shoulders）： Always your
pointed word！
CYRANO： Ay； pointed words！ I would fain die thus； some soft
summer eve； Making a pointed word for a good cause。 To make a
soldier's end by soldier's sword； Wielded by some brave adversarydie
On blood…stained turf； not on a fever…bed； A point upon my lips； a point
within my heart。
CRIES FROM ALL： I'm hungry！
CYRANO （crossing his arms）： All your thoughts of meat and drink！
Bertrand the fifer！you were shepherd once； Draw from its double
leathern case your fife； Play to these greedy； guzzling soldiers。 Play
Old co