Scenes 5 and 6 Summary

Cyrano approaches, supporting himself with a cane. Although his hat conceals his face, it is obvious that he is pale and weak. Roxane, however, is so absorbed in her work on the tapestry that she does not turn to greet Cyrano; instead, she rebukes him for being late. He responds by saying that he had a visitor, whom he sent away in order to come and visit her. Before falling silent, he hints that he may have to leave early.

Sister Marthe, one of the nuns whom Cyrano usually teases, passes by. Cyrano, trying to act normally, calls to her. She is startled by his ill appearance and wants to go and bring him some soup. Cyrano is not worried about himself, but Roxane; he warns the nun not to alarm Roxane about him. He does, however, ask the nun to pray for him. He also states that he will never see Roxane's tapestry finished. He also notices the read autumn leaves as they fall gracefully before him.

Roxane wants to hear the news of the Parisian society. For a while, Cyrano rattles off the mundane daily events; but he soon faints from exhaustion. Roxane rushes to him. When he regains consciousness, he pretends it is an effect of a wound he received at Arras, many years ago. Roxane comments about how she was also wounded in Arras and points to the farewell letter over her heart. Cyrano asks her to see the letter, which he recites fluently and beautifully in a voice like the one he had used under Roxane's window. Since it is obvious that Cyrano is not really reading the words, but knows them by heart, she realizes that he is the one who had written the letters on Christian's behalf. She now knows that she has really loved Cyrano, not Christian.

Cyrano turns to Ragueneau to talk about literature. Ragueneau accuses Molière of plagiarizing a scene from Cyrano's writing. Cyrano does not seem to mind. He says that he has always provided words and ideas for others. It is an obvious reference to what he did for Christian.

Knowing that his death is fast approaching, Cyrano compares his love for Roxane to the love between the beauty and the beast. He then asks Roxane to mourn for him as she had for Christian. He finally stands up, sword in hand, to face his end nobly. He dies, proud of the integrity he has shown in life.

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