A tale of migration, romantic entanglement, and tragic sacrifice set against class divides in Southern France.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Southern French Settlement
An Italian tenant arrives in Southern France seeking work. Marie takes him in as a tenant and they quickly develop a romantic relationship. The local community begins to shift as new faces arrive.
Key Events
Italian Tenant Arrival — Italian man arrives seeking employment. Characters: MarieLocation: Southern France
Marie Takes Tenant In — Marie provides housing to the newcomer. Characters: MarieLocation: Marie's House
Romantic Bond Forms — Marie and tenant become lovers. Characters: MarieLocation: Marie's House
Spanish Guestworker Arrives — New woman enters the community. Location: Town Square
Tenant Falls for Newcomer — Tenant's affection shifts to newcomer. Characters: MarieLocation: Town
Double Wedding & Obsession
A Spanish guestworker arrives, causing the tenant to fall for her. She chooses a wealthy northern man instead, leading to a double wedding. The tenant's hidden obsession strains his marriage with Marie.
Key Events
Tenant Falls for Newcomer — Tenant's affection shifts to newcomer. Characters: MarieLocation: Town
Newcomer Chooses Albert — Newcomer selects wealthy northern man. Characters: AlbertLocation: Town
Double Wedding Ceremony — Two couples marry simultaneously. Characters: Marie, AlbertLocation: Church
Tenant Evicted — Marie throws tenant out of home. Characters: MarieLocation: Marie's House
Mountain Hut Observation — Tenant watches couple from distance. Location: Mountain Hut
Domestic Abuse & Conspiracy
Marie evicts the tenant, who retreats to a mountain hut to watch the couple. The husband's abuse escalates, prompting the wife and her paramour to plan a theft and escape.
Key Events
Mountain Hut Observation — Tenant watches couple from distance. Location: Mountain Hut
Theft Plan Formed — Couple plans to steal and flee. Location: Albert's House
Caught in Act — Albert discovers the theft attempt. Characters: AlbertLocation: Albert's House
Violent Beating — Albert brutally assaults his wife. Characters: AlbertLocation: Albert's House
Gunshot Retaliation — Wife kills Albert with his own weapon. Characters: AlbertLocation: Albert's House
Fatal Sacrifice & Resolution
The husband catches the theft attempt and brutally beats his wife, who kills him in retaliation. The tenant discovers the plot, forces his companion to flee, and sacrifices himself to cover for the wife before being shot dead.
Key Events
Gunshot Retaliation — Wife kills Albert with his own weapon. Characters: AlbertLocation: Albert's House
Plan Discovered — Tenant learns of the escape plot. Location: Town
Paramour Flees — Paramour abandons tenant with money. Location: Road
Sacrificial Cover-Up — Tenant decides to shield wife from blame. Characters: MarieLocation: Agreed Location
Fatal Shooting — Tenant is shot dead before arrival. Characters: MarieLocation: Agreed Location
Story Breakdown
Migration & Settlement — The protagonist leaves Italy for Southern France seeking employment and housing.
Tenant Arrival — Italian man arrives in town looking for work.
Housing Provision — Local woman provides shelter and becomes lover.
Romantic Entanglements — New arrivals disrupt existing relationships and spark new desires.
New Guestworker — Spanish woman enters the community.
Affection Shift — Protagonist falls for newcomer instead of current partner.
Marital Union — Two couples formalize their relationships through a joint ceremony.
Double Wedding — Formal marriage binds both couples publicly.
Hidden Obsession — Protagonist cannot conceal lingering feelings for another.
Domestic Turmoil — Marital harmony fractures under the weight of jealousy and abuse.
Eviction — Wife throws protagonist out of the marital home.
Mountain Surveillance — Protagonist watches couple from isolated hut.
Criminal Conspiracy — Desperation drives the abused wife and her paramour to plan theft.
Theft Planning — Couple decides to steal money and flee town.
Discovery — Husband catches them in the act of stealing.
Fatal Confrontation — Violence escalates to lethal levels within the household.
Brutal Beating — Husband violently assaults his wife.
Gunshot Retaliation — Wife kills husband with his own weapon.
Tragic Resolution — The protagonist makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect the wife.
Cover-Up Decision — Protagonist chooses to shield wife from legal blame.
Fatal Shooting — Protagonist is killed before reaching safety.
In the 1920s, the Provence is a magnet for immigrants seeking work in the quarries or in the agriculture. Many mingle with locals and settle down for good — like Toni, an Italian who has moved in with Marie, a Frenchwoman. Even a well-ordered existence is not immune from boredom, friendship, romance, or enmity, and Toni becomes entangled in a web of increasingly passionate relationships. For there is his best pal Fernand, but also Albert, his overbearing foreman; there is Sebastian, a steady Spanish peasant, but also Gabi, his young rogue relative; there is Marie, but there is also Josefa.
