When the scene opens, Madame Bovary asks the maid to put up with her for a few days. She tells her that the hotel has asked her to stay for several days so that the waiter can come in and take care of the guests. The maid, however, is not happy about this arrangement. She feels that the scene is familiar and she needs a bath. She asks the waiter to wait for her to come in, but the waiter does not want to wait any longer. He tells the maid that he will use her wages room for the next few days, and the maid agrees. She then tells the waiter that she will take a bath, and when the waiter comes in, she asks him to cover the bed with pebbles so that she can see if the bed is soft enough for her. The waiter agrees to do so, and they begin to prepare the bed for the arrival of the prince.