Meaulnes wakes up shivering in the dark within an alcove bed, wrapped in his black blouse, noticing a faint green light glowing through the window. Before he can investigate, he hears muffled footsteps and subdued voices on the landing, prompting him to quickly pull back and hide inside the curtains. He accidentally knocks a bronze object against the wall with his iron-shod shoes, causing a moment of intense anxiety where he holds his breath in the dark.
Two shadowy figures enter the room, turning out to be an overweight man in a massive overcoat and a wretched, shivering bohemian referred to as the comedian. As the window rattles in the wind, they argue lazily about whether to relight the green Venetian lanterns placed outside, debating the point of illuminating an empty countryside facing the dark road. The heavy man holds a long pole of multicoloured lanterns while the dishevelled comedian, with his sunken eyes and chattering teeth, bitterly questions why miserable outcasts like them were ever recruited to serve in such a strange celebration.
Ignoring the comedian's existential lament, the heavy man yawns, puts his pole over his shoulder, and announces that it is time to get dressed for dinner. As they leave the room, the mocking bohemian pauses by the alcove to address Meaulnes directly, advising the sleepy young man to wake up and dress like a marquis. He explains with theatrical flair that Meaulnes must descend to the costume party, adding that a kitchen worker named Maloyau will play Harlequin while he himself will portray the grand Pierrot.