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Bertrand the fifer！you were shepherd once； Draw from its double
leathern case your fife； Play to these greedy； guzzling soldiers。 Play
Old country airs with plaintive rhythm recurring； Where lurk sweet
echoes of the dear home…voices； Each note of which calls like a little
sister； Those airs slow； slow ascending； as the smoke…wreaths Rise
from the hearthstones of our native hamlets； Their music strikes the ear
like Gascon patois！。 。 。 （The old man seats himself； and gets his flute
ready）： Your flute was now a warrior in durance； But on its stem
your fingers are a…dancing A bird…like minuet！ O flute！ Remember
That flutes were made of reeds first； not laburnum； Make us a music
pastoral days recalling The soul…time of your youth； in country
pastures！。 。 。 （The old man begins to play the airs of Languedoc）： Hark
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to the music； Gascons！。 。 。'Tis no longer The piercing fife of campbut
'neath his fingers The flute of the woods！ No more the call to combat；
'Tis now the love…song of the wandering goat…herds！。 。 。 Hark！。 。 。'tis the
valley； the wet landes； the forest； The sunburnt shepherd…boy with
scarlet beret； The dusk of evening on the Dordogne river； 'Tis
Gascony！ Hark； Gascons； to the music！
（The cadets sit with bowed heads； their eyes have a far…off look as if
dreaming； and they surreptitiously wipe away their tears with their cuffs
and the corner of their cloaks。）
CARBON （to Cyrano in a whisper）： But you make them weep！
CYRANO： Ay； for homesickness。 A nobler pain than hunger；'tis
of the soul； not of the body！ I am well pleased to see their pain change
its viscera。 Heart…ache is better than stomach…ache。
CARBON： But you weaken their courage by playing thus on their
heart…strings！
CYRANO （making a sign to a drummer to approach）： Not I。 The
hero that sleeps in Gascon blood is ever ready to awake in them。 'Twould
suffice。 。 。
（He makes a signal； the drum beats。）
ALL THE CADETS （stand up and rush to take arms）： What？
What is it？
CYRANO （smiling）： You see！ One roll of the drum is enough！
Good…by dreams； regrets； native land； love。 。 。All that the pipe called forth
the drum has chased away！
A CADET （looking toward the back of the stage）： Ho！ here comes
Monsieur de Guiche。
ALL THE CADETS （muttering）： Ugh！。 。 。Ugh！。 。 。
CYRANO （smiling）： A flattering welcome！
A CADET： We are sick to death of him！
ANOTHER CADET： With his lace collar over his armor； playing
the fine gentleman！
ANOTHER： As if one wore linen over steel！
THE FIRST： It were good for a bandage had he boils on his neck。
THE SECOND： Another plotting courtier！
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ANOTHER CADET： His uncle's own nephew！
CARBON： For all thata Gascon。
THE FIRST： Ay； false Gascon！。 。 。trust him not。 。 。 Gascons
should ever be crack…brained。 。 。 Naught more dangerous than a rational
Gascon。
LE BRET： How pale he is！
ANOTHER： Oh！ he is hungry； just like us poor devils； but under
his cuirass； with its fine gilt nails； his stomach…ache glitters brave in the
sun。
CYRANO （hurriedly）： Let us not seem to suffer either！ Out with
your cards； pipes； and dice。 。 。 （All begin spreading out the games on the
drums； the stools； the ground； and on their cloaks； and light long pipes）：
And I shall read Descartes。
（He walks up and down； reading a little book which he has drawn from
his pocket。 Tableau。 Enter De Guiche。 All appear absorbed and
happy。 He is very pale。 He goes up to Carbon。）
SCENE 4。IV。
The same。 De Guiche。
DE GUICHE （to Carbon）： Good…day！ （They examine each other。
Aside； with satisfaction）： He's green。
CARBON （aside）： He has nothing left but eyes。
DE GUICHE （looking at the cadets）： Here are the rebels！ Ay； Sirs；
on all sides I hear that in your ranks you scoff at me； That the
Cadets； these loutish； mountain…bred； Poor country squires； and barons
of Perigord； Scarce find for metheir Colonela disdain Sufficient！
call me plotter； wily courtier！ It does not please their mightiness to see
A point…lace collar on my steel cuirass； And they enrage； because a
man； in sooth； May be no ragged…robin； yet a Gascon！ （Silence。 All
smoke and play）： Shall I command your Captain punish you？ No。
CARBON： I am free； moreover；will not punish
DE GUICHE： Ah！
CARBON： I have paid my company'tis mine。 I bow but to
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headquarters。
DE GUICHE： So？in faith！ That will suffice。 （Addressing
himself to the cadets）： I can despise your taunts 'Tis well known
how I bear me in the war； At Bapaume； yesterday； they saw the rage
With which I beat back the Count of Bucquoi； Assembling my own
men； I fell on his； And charged three separate times！
CYRANO （without lifting his eyes from his book）： And your white
scarf？
DE GUICHE （surprised and gratified）： You know that
detail？。 。 。Troth！ It happened thus： While caracoling to recall the
troops For the third charge； a band of fugitives Bore me with them；
close by the hostile ranks： I was in perilcapture； sudden death！
When I thought of the good expedient To loosen and let fall the scarf
which told My military rank； thus I contrived Without attention
wakedto leave the foes； And suddenly returning； reinforced With
my own men； to scatter them！ And now； What say you； Sir？
（The cadets pretend not to be listening； but the cards an