Meaulnes is driving a mare and carriage when the animal suddenly slows down and stops at a flooded brook that cuts across the path. Because the current is strong and the water is icy, he decides to go no further. Spotting a distant light through the trees, he calms the mare, leads her into a small meadow, and covers her with a blanket.
He then navigates through several fields, jumps over a small stream, and climbs a bank to reach the courtyard of an isolated country house. A dog barks and a clock strikes seven while a woman tends to a wood fire inside. Meaulnes steps into the room, accidentally apologizing for stepping on her chrysanthemums, and sits near the hearth under a ceiling of walls papered with illustrated newspapers.
Pretending to be one of several hunters in the area, Meaulnes asks to buy some bread, but the woman explains that the baker from Vieux-Nançay failed to arrive that Tuesday. When Meaulnes asks about the distance to Vieux-Nançay and realizes he is completely lost, the woman asks if he is from out of town. Soon after, an elderly peasant returns with an armful of wood and welcomes Meaulnes to warm himself by the fire while offering him a bowl of milk and bread.
Delighted by the humble shelter and believing his strange adventure has concluded, Meaulnes plans to return with friends later. He eventually asks for directions back to the road to La Motte, explaining that he became separated from his fellow hunters. The couple insists that he spend the night and leave only at daylight, and Meaulnes ultimately accepts their offer. He steps back out into the dark courtyard to bring his mare inside to the stable, feeling a brief moment of hesitation before heading into the night.