READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes i–v |
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Act IV, Scene 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 tent—like 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 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.) |
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