The narrative follows a young, celebrated writer who, flush with success, breaks a long affair and experiences a mix of pride, melancholy and self-absorption as he observes Parisian society. After receiving an unexpected commendatory letter and an invitation from a leading literary figure, he seeks companionship with a close friend, a thoughtful young physician, and confronts feelings of pity, contempt and the precariousness of intimate ties. The work examines ambition, desire, social observation and the inner contradictions of youth through detailed psychological portraiture and scenes of urban life.