This book presents the story of a veteran of Napoleon’s Russian Campaign, Philippe de Sucy, who happens upon his beloved Stéphanie de Vandières after having given her up for dead at the crossing of the Berezina years before. She has gone mad, is incapable of recognizing her lover, and unable to utter anything other than a blank and meaningless adieu. The text describes Philippe de Sucy’s attempt to get her to recognize him and the ambiguity of his eventual success.