Diya romanu vidbuvayet′sya v bahatych kvar­talach suchas­noho Paryzha. U feshenebel′nomu budynku pid odnym dachom prozhyvayut′ lyudy, yakych rozdilyaye intelektual′na, mental′na i may­nova prirva: sa­mot­nya kons′yerzhka, yaka, zachoplyuyet′sya romanamy Tolstoho, divchynka-pidlitok, yaka hotova pomerty cherez bayduzhist′ blyz′kych, bahatyy yaponets′, yakyy ne znachodyt′ odnodumtsiv sered arysto­krativ. Ale inodi stayut′sya dyva: pislya dovhych ro­kiv nena­vysti do svitu y movchaznych triumfiv samot­n′o­ho duchu mozhe z’yavytysya toy, chto rozhledyt′ ele­hantnist′ kolyu­choyi yizhachychy, otsinyt′ yiyi nepov­tornyy styl′ i nizhnu iro­nichnu dushu. Ta chy kozhen hotovyy do neymovirnoyi zust­richi, yaka buvaye lyshe raz u zhytti?