Set in a rural monastery recovering after war, the narrative follows a young woman, Stéphanie, and other retreatantes who seek rest, care, or spiritual seclusion. Through the cloistered routines, the convent hospital, and interactions with clergy and visitors, it traces the gradual repair of bodies and consciences. Private memories, moral doubts, and lingering affections surface, testing commitments and revealing complex motives. The prose also sketches the surrounding countryside and communal history, highlighting tensions between sacred withdrawal and enduring worldly ties.