A violinist passes on to his daughter three rings which represent three passions of his romantic past, and urges her to save each for men who truly deserve one.She squanders them all on one man who is undeserving.

They have been living together for some time in a bohemian environment. The boy is attracted to a friend of his mistress and he frankly acknowledges his feeling. His companion favors meetings and even multiplies them: satiety, habituation, weariness set in very quickly. It is the shrewd mistress who will be married.