s 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 something--something oily!

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 adversary--die
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. Pla