Ten guests show up for Edna’s dinner party: Arobin, Mademoiselle Reisz, Victor Lebrun, Mrs. Highcamp, Monsieur Ratignolle, and a few others. Edna announces that it is her twenty-ninth birthday. Despite the party’s success, she longs for Robert. When Victor later begins to drunkenly sing the song Robert sang to Edna, “Si tu savais,” she is so upset she accidentally breaks her wineglass and then puts her hand over Victor’s mouth to make him stop singing. The party breaks up soon after.
Chapter XXXI begins with Arobin helping Edna lock up the mansion and walking her to the pigeon house. She is overwrought and miserable, missing Robert and feeling hopeless. Once inside, Arobin presses his advantage, and they become lovers that night.
