Commentary Par XXXI 65-69

Bernard's first words answer Dante's most pressing concern, the whereabouts of Beatrice, who, he points out, is in the third row from the top.  For a similar scene, see [Inf II 109-112], where Beatrice tells how Lucy came to her exactly where we see her now and got her to leave this seat in order to go into Limbo to enlist Virgil's aid.  Just so has she now enlisted Bernard's help on Dante's behalf and then reassumed her place.