Paris, 1830: Octave, betrayed by his mistress, sinks into despair and debauchery. His father’s death leads him to the country where he meets Brigitte, a widow who is ten years his elder. Octave falls in love passionately, but will he have the courage to believe in it?

A sixteen-year-old boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his French teacher. Faced with this gifted and unusual pupil, the teacher rediscovers his enthusiasm for his work, but the boy’s intrusion will unleash a series of uncontrollable events.