Acte IV
The oak tree, on a battlefield. The post occupied by the company of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux in the siege of Arras.
A Sentinel is up in the tree keeping watch. The day is about to get up: imperial yellow.
Rolled in their coats, the Cadets of Gascony sleep. Carbon and Le Bret are on watch.
Christian sleeps, among the others, in his cape, his face lit by a fire. Silence.
Scène IV.I
Le Bret
It’s hideous.
Carbon
Nothing less.
Le Bret
J’en ai ral le cul! [(an expletive) I’ve had enough!]
Carbon
Curse quietly! While they’re asleep they forget their hunger.
Le Bret
I’m sick from the gnawing.
We hear faraway shots.
Carbon
Damn the guns. They’ll wake the men.
Closer shots.
Cadet 3 (stirring)
Shit! Again?
Carbon
It’s nothing. It’s Cyrano coming back.
The heads which had got up go back to bed.
Sentinel
Who goes there?
The Voice Of Cyrano
Bergerac.
Sentinel
Hey! Who’s there?
Cyrano (appearing)
Bergerac, imbecile!
Le Bret goes to him, worried.
Le Bret
Good God . . .
Cyrano
Shhh!
Le Bret
Are you hurt?
Cyrano
They’re lousy shots, those Spaniards.
Le Bret
You’re unbelievably stupid to risk your life every day,
Just to carry a letter.
Cyrano (stopping in front of Christian)
I promised he would write often.
(looking at him) Starving. But still beautiful.
Le Bret
Maniac. Go get some sleep.
Cyrano
Don’t grumble, Le Bret. And don’t worry:
I always cross the Spanish ranks at night, when I know they’re drunk.
Le Bret
You should bring us back some food.
Cyrano
It would slow me down.
But things will change soon. We will either eat or die if what I saw is . . .
Le Bret
What did you see?
Cyrano
Not sure. We’ll find out.
Carbon
We are starving, when they are under siege. It’s humiliating.
Le Bret (to Cyrano)
Are you going to rest?
Cyrano
I’m going to write another letter.
Cyrano lifts a tent flap and disappears.
