The Nightingale: Chapter 18 Summary & Analysis

After Julien is in bed, Isabelle opens the wardrobe to speak to the pilot. The pilot tells her that his name is MacLeish. Isabelle promises that she will find a way to get MacLeish back to Britain as long as he does what she says. MacLeish tells Isabelle that she is brave. Isabelle replies that people more often categorize her as foolish. Isabelle gives MacLeish a bucket he can use as a toilet for the night and promises to get him out of the wardrobe as soon as Julien leaves for work the following day.

The next morning, once Julien Rossignol is gone, Isabelle goes and steals some of his clothes for MacLeish. MacLeish puts on the clothes, although they do not fit him well. Isabelle is concerned that MacLeish’s appearance will give them away, but MacLeish promises her that they will be fine. After all, he managed to stay hidden while wearing a pilot’s uniform.

Before leaving the apartment, Isabelle and MacLeish formulate a plan. Isabelle tells MacLeish to leave the apartment first and then follow a block behind her. She wants to ensure that nobody spots them together if MacLeish gets caught and questioned. MacLeish agrees to the plan, and then they put it into action. Although Isabelle is nervous, the plan goes smoothly, and she manages to get MacLeish all the way to the resistance hideout.

When Isabelle and MacLeish enter the hideout, Levy and Anouk chastise Isabelle for being so careless. Isabelle apologizes and then explains that MacLeish needs help getting back to England. Levy and Anouk explain that they currently have no way to get any fighter pilots across the border. Although they considered sending them via the Pyrenees, the route seems impossible. In response, Isabelle tells them the Pyrenees route is possible and that she would like to be the one to lead the pilots over it. She thinks she would be perfect because no one would suspect her.

Just then, a man walks in from the back room, and Isabelle sees that it is Gaëtan. Although Isabelle wants to hate him because he left her with Vianne, she immediately falls in love with him again at first sight. Levy tells Gaëtan about Isabelle’s plan, and eventually they decide to go forward with it. Later, Isabelle and Gaëtan get some time alone to speak. Isabelle is upset that he did not reveal himself to her earlier. Gaëtan apologizes but also tells Isabelle that he is the one who recommended that she come to Paris.

After her talk with Gaëtan, Isabelle heads home. There, she finds Julien Rossignol, who reveals that he knows Isabelle hid MacLeish in his apartment. Additionally, he tells her that he knows all about her work with the resistance and her upcoming mission in the Pyrenees. Isabelle is shocked and cannot figure out how her father learned about her work with the resistance.

Then, Julien Rossignol reveals that he has been working with the resistance all along. His work for the Nazis is only a cover he uses so that he can access their resources to forge papers. In fact, Julien wrote all the pamphlets that Isabelle delivered in Carriveau. Additionally, Julien tells Isabelle that he has a connection, Micheline Babineau, who can help her with her upcoming trip through the mountains. Isabelle is overjoyed to learn that her father is on her side. Meanwhile, Julien fears for his daughter’s safety.