LucienneDelamareandPierreMauryarehavinganaffairLucienne'shusbandPaulisthemayor,andaFrenchdeputyPierre'swifeClotildehasbeenweakandsicklyforyearsLucienne'shusbandholdsnoexcitementforher,andheisalwaysawayinParisonbusinessPierreisnowthevicemayor,thankstoPaulLucienneandPierrehaveasecretmeetingspotbyalakealongacountrylanePierre'swifediessuddenly,bysuicidethetowngossipsbelievePierreconfessesotherwisetoLuciennePaulproposesashadylanddealwhichwill"benefitthetown",andwantsPierre'spoliticalsupportandcollusionThenPauldiscoversproofofhiswife'saffair