ore me with them, close by the hostile ranks:
I was in peril--capture, 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 waked--to 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 and the dice-boxes
remain suspended in their hands, the smoke of their pipes in their cheeks.
They wait.)

CYRANO:
I say, that Henri Quatre
Had not, by any dangerous odds, been forced
To strip himself of his white helmet plume.

(Silent delight. The cards fall, the dice rattle. The smoke is puffed.)

DE GUICHE:
The ruse succeeded, though!

(Same suspension of play, etc.)

CYRANO:
Oh, may be! But
One does not lightly abdicate the honor
To serve as target to the enemy
(Cards, dice, fall again, and the cadets smoke with evident delight):
Had I been present when your scarf fell low,
--Our courage, Sir, is of a different sort--
I would have picked it up and put it on.

DE GUICHE:
Oh, ay! Another Gascon boast!

CYRANO:
A boast?
Lend it to me. I pledge myself, to-night,
--With it across my breast,--to lead th' assault.

DE GUICHE:
Another Gascon vaunt! You know the scarf
Lies with the enemy, upon the brink
Of the stream,. . .the place is riddled now with shot,--
No one can fetch it hither!

CYRANO (drawing the scarf from his pocket, and holding it out to him):
Here it is.

(Silence. The cadets stifle their laughter in their cards and dice-boxes. De
Guiche turns and looks at them; they instantly become grave, and set to play.
One of them whistles indifferently the air just played by the fifer.)

DE GUICHE (taking the scarf):
I thank you. It will now enable me
To make a signal,--that I had forborne
To make--till now.

(He goes to the rampart, climbs it, and waves the scarf thrice.)

ALL:
What's that?

THE SENTINEL (from the top of the rampart):
See you yon man
Down there, who runs?. . .

DE GUICHE (descending):
'Tis a false Spanish spy
Who is extremely useful to my ends.
The news he carries to the enemy
Are those I prompt him with--so, in a word,
We have an influence on their decisions!

CYRANO:
Scoundrel!

DE GUICHE (carelessly knotting on his scarf):
'Tis opportune. What were we saying?
Ah! I hav