In which the young heiress Modeste, surrounded by three very different suitors, navigates the subtle intrigues of society with a mixture of caprice and calculated charm, while the poet Canalis endeavours to captivate her with his eloquence and passion. Observing this delicate game, Ernest La Briere suffers the pangs of jealousy and silent heartbreak, as the various admirers contend not only for her favour but also for their place within the social and emotional theatre that surrounds her.