He has returned to his estate, Horlebecq, after World War I as a widower. His only solace comes from his letters to a Parisian named Rolande, whom he met while serving in the military. The pressure to marry his sister-in-law Emily doesn't stop Renier from visiting Rolande in Paris, despite his family's efforts to convince him otherwise. As a result of her persuasiveness, he agrees to invest enormous quantities of money in Paris' "Academie de Beauté" To add insult to injury, his imprudent investments and breakup with Emily cause terrible tensions at Horlebecq...