Paris1895;PierreisaParisiandandyandpoetonthevergeoffame.HeandhispoetfriendHenriarebothmadlyinlovewithMarie,thecheekydaughteroftheirmentor,Franco-CubanpoetJosé-MariadeHeredia.AlthoughshelovesPierre,obeyingherfathershemarriesHenritopayoffherfather'sdebtandinsearchofabettersocialposition.ThereuponPierredecidestofleetoAlgeriaandtheremeetsZohar,withwhomhesharesapassionforeroticphotography.ReturningtoPariswithhertwoyearslater,hefindsMarieagain,whoconfessesthatheistheonesheloves.TheystartacaseagainstthebackdropofParis'seroticphotography,inacat-and-mousegamewithpeoplewhoinvolvetheirlivesandbreakingthecodessetbysocietywhichwillwillmakethemoneofthebest-knownwritersandpoetsof19th-centuryFrance.Writtenbylament