De Guiche loves the idea, and is convinced that Roxana must really love him to dream up a scheme like that. De Guiche further plans that he won't go off to battle, but rather will hide in an a nearby abbey and visit Roxana, masked, later that night. She tells him that he must go and fight and be her hero. He leaves. Roxana tells Duenna to say nothing because Cyrano will be most upset if he finds that she kept him and his regiment from going to war; however, Christian's safety is far more important to her. Duenna agrees. Cyrano reappears and Roxana leaves him telling him to have Christian wait for her when he returns. Cyrano calls Christian out, and he says that he is ready to speak his own words to Roxana. Cyrano informs him that he is wasting his time; nevertheless, he is determined. Roxana appears and speaks to Christian who makes a complete fool of himself being unable to find the right words to use when talking with Roxana. Roxana leaves on the verge of tears. Cyrano promises to coach Christian through his next meeting. Christian calls Roxana to her balcony and even though she doesn't want to see him is instantly charmed by his new words which Cyrano whispers into his ear. She isn't quite convinced since Christian still sounds a bit awkward. Cyrano briskly takes Christian's hat and places it on his own head and proceeds to speak with Roxana in Christian's voice. Roxana is more and more swept away by Cyrano's words of love. She wants him to come nearer, but he stays away finding it better being a "disembodied spirit." Roxana feels like she is reborn with this newfound love. Christian gets carried away and asks to go up the balcony for a kiss. He climbs up and takes Roxana in his arms. Cyrano pretends he has been walking by and notices Roxana and Christian. Roxana comes down to see Cyrano. Just then a priest enters with a letter for Roxana from De Guiche. The letter tells Roxana that De Guiche will be along in a while to meet her. The priest is there so the two of them can get married and have at least one night of passion together before he goes off to battle. Roxana, acting on an impulse, tells the priest that the letter in fact is an instruction from the Cardinal for him to marry Roxana and Christian. So that the priest will not question it any further, she also tells him that the abbey will receive one hundred and twenty pieces of gold for his services. Roxana hears De Guiche coming and rushes Christian and the priest in the house after begging Cyrano to keep him distracted. The wedding should only take four minutes. A masked De Guiche enters and is kept distracted by a disguised Cyrano who rattles off a lengthy nonsense poem - acting like a madman. The two men eventually reveal themselves to each other as the wedding party emerges from the house. A duped De Guiche informs Christian, the groom, that his regiment is leaving for battle tonight. Roxana is most upset; however, there is nothing she can do but ask that Cyrano watch over her husband. He does promise to do all he can. The only thing he can assure her of is that he will make certain that Christian writes her every day. Out on the battlefield, some time later, the cadets are bemoaning the fact that life in war is not all they thought it would be. The only one who seems excited by it all is Cyrano who is constantly out risking his life by mailing letters to Roxana from Christian. Everyone else is tired and hungry. Cyrano tries to reason with them - hard work is a way to redemption. They have no interest in hearing his words of wisdom - they just want to eat. Christian enters informing that De Guiche is on his way. De Guiche arrives and asks the men to prepare to lay down their lives for their country. Apparently, they are going to be attacked by the Spanish in a quarter of an hour - his spy has told him so. They will be grossly outnumbered. Cyrano tells De Guiche that at last he has his revenge for De Guiche manipulated this attack. However, De Guiche on the other hand sees this as just a normal day's work for Cyrano who supposedly loves fighting when the odds are against him. Christian then asks Cyrano to show him the next letter he plans to send Roxana. On the paper, Christian notices a little circle that Cyrano confesses is a tear. He says that he's is upset that he will never see Roxana again if the war continues the way it is. Christian takes the letter from him realising that this entire thing is getting out of hand. A coach is heard approaching and pulls into the camp. It's Roxana. She has come to be with her husband and is determined to stay no matter how horrible things get. The cadets scramble to make her comfortable, and she tells them that she would like some pastry and wine. However, where are they going to get them? All the delicacies are in her carriage, and her driver, Ragueneau, the baker has prepared them.
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