Meaulnes finds himself in a low-ceilinged dining hall filled with an eclectic gathering of old country folk, children, and weathered peasants who make him feel instantly at ease and forgiven for any past wrongs. Sitting among them, he overhears a playful debate between two elderly women named Moinelle and AdĂšle regarding the exact arrival time of the young master of the domain, Frantz de Galais, and his newly betrothed bride whom he met and decided to marry in Bourges.
As the meal concludes, a charming couple, costumed children, and a tall, pale pierrot pass through the corridors, sparking a lively and theatrical atmosphere. Caught up in the festive mood, Meaulnes joins in the pursuit of the pierrot through the rooms and corridors, though he occasionally worries that his schoolboy blouse might be revealed beneath his cloak. Seeking refuge from the feverish excitement, he wanders into a quiet dining room where young children are calmly looking at picture books and listening to the distant sounds of the celebration.
Peeking through an open door, Meaulnes sees a young woman with a brown cloak draped over her shoulders playing gentle nursery tunes on a piano for a quiet group of children. Finding immense peace in this serene corner, he sits down with a large red book while two children climb onto his knees to look at the pages. Surrounded by this tranquil scene, he loses himself in a daydream, imagining that he is in his own home on his wedding night and that the unknown musician playing nearby is his wife.