In which Mme. de Macumer, enveloped in the profound solitude of widowhood, confides to her friend the tender and torturous aftermath of losing a deeply cherished husband, reflecting on the consuming nature of their love and the barren silence left in its wake. Surrounded by the quiet splendour of a garden once shared, she wrestles with her sorrow and guilt, finding a bittersweet solace in the hope of her dear friend's comforting presence.