In which the industrious and astute advocate Deslauriers manoeuvres the political and social currents to aid Frederick’s candidature, while the ailing and imperious M. Dambreuse faces his decline amidst the uneasy attentions of Madame Dambreuse and Frederick. The solemn rites of death and inheritance unfold with spectacle and whispered intrigues, revealing the fragile ties of wealth, affection, and ambition that bind the characters together in the heart of Paris.