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He’s proud, noble, young, fearless, handsome. . . .
Cyrano: Handsome!
Roxane: What is it? What’s the matter?
Cyrano: Nothing. . . . It’s . . . it’s . . . it’s only a twinge of pain from this little scratch.

Roxane and Cyrano’s meeting in Ragueneau’s shop, early in Act II, heightens the play’s drama and suspense. Roxane speaks to Cyrano about a man she loves, who she thinks loves her. Roxane acts a bit mysteriously, choosing to be discreet in her revelation of the man’s identity. As she reveals his identity, Cyrano thinks that she might be referring to him—after all, each piece of information fits him. When she says that this man is “handsome,” however, Cyrano becomes certain that she is not talking about him, and that she must be talking about someone else. Cyrano reacts by cringing and reeling in pain. To cover up for his heartbreak, he quickly invents an excuse for his noticeable pain: his hand wound. This moment also highlights Cyrano’s weakening self-confidence and self-esteem. He now believes that Roxane will never love him. With this idea firmly planted in his mind, he agrees to help Christian win her love.

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