In which the curious and contrasting races of Cairo's winter society are vividly portrayed through the eyes of a diverse assembly, revealing the clash between native simplicity and Western pretension amid the vibrant backdrop of a grand hotel and an impending costume ball. Among the assembly are artists, aristocrats, and scholars whose thoughtful yet sometimes irreverent discourse circles around the enigmatic presence of the captivating Princess Ziska, whose arrival promises to be the evening’s most stirring event.