Andrew Lackaday, an English orphan, was born and brought up in a French circus. He becomes a highly skilled mimic and juggler. He plies his trade all round the country in company with his assistant Elodie, a Marseillaise. The Great War comes and he excels himself as a soldier, ending up as a Brigadier General. After the war, he has no option but to return to his old profession only to find that everything has changed post war. The book follows his changing fortunes. - Summary by Simon Evers