Trapped in an unhappy marriage with a boorish, inattentive, and socially ambitious husband, Julie de Chaverny enjoys a flirtatious dalliance with the elegant Major de Châteaufort. However, the sudden reappearance of an old admirer who has returned from Turkey—along with a tale of breathtaking derring-do and chivalry to add to his charms—reawakens in Julie a forgotten passion. She pursues a rash and dangerous course of action, one that will have tragic consequences.