On a bitterly cold winter morning, the students at the village school waited around the red-hot stove, discussing the snowy landscapes and a frozen squirrel brought in by one of the farm boys. Suddenly, a sharp knock at the window interrupted the lesson. The tall figure of Augustin Meaulnes appeared, shaking the frost from his blouse and looking exhausted, hungry, and dazed. M. Seurel calmly told him to take his seat, and Meaulnes slipped onto his bench while the rest of the class resumed their dictation. After struggling to stay awake through the heavy heat of the classroom, Meaulnes asked permission to go sleep, having spent three sleepless nights outdoors, and the master granted his request.
At noon, Meaulnes sat in tense silence with the family during a cold, restrained meal, as everyone had agreed not to question the fugitive to avoid provoking him. Once lunch concluded, Meaulnes and his companion rushed out into the muddy, snow-cleared school yard, quickly fleeing their pursuing classmates. They darted back into the main classroom and locked the glass door just in time to block the angry crowd, who eventually turned away after shouting insults and shaking the frame. Left alone inside, Meaulnes began passionately studying a small atlas he found in the master's desk.
Their quiet was abruptly broken when Jasmin Delouche and several other boys burst into the room through an open side window. Jasmin, a jealous and vain upper-class student who had previously been the leader of the class, immediately began taunting Meaulnes about his mysterious three-day absence. Provoked by exhaustion and anger, Meaulnes ordered Jasmin to leave, sparking a violent scuffle that tore their smocks and involved another farm boy named Martin. Just as Meaulnes was grappling with Martin, M. Seurel appeared in the doorway, bringing an instant halt to the fight. Meaulnes quietly returned to his seat to study his lessons, dismissing Jasmin's parting jeers with a shrug.