A professional thief tries to break with his past but has to pull off one last job to pay off a gambling debt.

Henri and his brother Paul attend the reading of their uncle's will, and learn that their Aunt Rosalie inherits everything, but that after her death the two nephews are to share the income from the estate. The excitement of the two brothers is tempered by their present lack of resources. Rosalie has little regard for either of her nephews, and she determines to outlive them both. Paul decides to win over his aunt, and he soon moves in with her. The two brothers then look for a way to kill her without arousing suspicion.

Celestine, the chambermaid, has a new job in the country, at the Lanlaires. She has decided to use her beauty to seduce a wealthy man. But Mr Lanlaire is not a right choice: all the house is firmly controlled by Mme Lanlaire, helped by the strange valet Joseph. Then she tries the neighbour, ex-officer Mauger. This seems to work. But soon the son of the Lanlaires comes back. He is young, attractive, and does not share his mother's anti-republicans opinions. So Celestine's beauty attracts Captain Mauger, young Georges Lanlaire, and also Joseph. Three men, from three different social classes, with three different conceptions of life. Will Celestine be able to convince Georges of her sincerity ? Will sinister and inflexible Joseph let his views upon Celestine be ruined ? A quite disillusioned depiction of humanity.