Monique Somesnil finds herself in a teaching position with Jack Saint-Angel, whose sister, little Maë, is crippled and requires attentive care. A spontaneous sympathy was born between Monique and Maë who, on the contrary, felt an instinctive hostility towards her brother's future wife, Yvonne Le Kervec. Monique's efforts to overcome Maê's aversion to the one she assumes to be nothing more than an intriguing woman are in vain, which provokes Jack's anger; he makes harsh accusations against Mo-nique: "You have surely represented to him in the guise of a stepmother a person I want to bring into my life," he tells him, furious.

To these unjustified reproaches will be added an insult from Yvonne towards her that Monique cannot forgive. She prefers to leave, to stay away forever from Jack whom she loves in secret. "My beautiful dream is over," she repeats herself. But one day....