The action takes place in Paris in the 1860s and 1880s. The main character is an old scribe, obsessed with a noble passion for ancient manuscripts. One day, he helped a poor woman who lived next door by sending her a cup of broth and a log for the fireplace. Bonar soon forgot about his deed. Eight years later, he received an old manuscript as a gift, which he had long dreamed of, and was surprised to learn that the giver was the woman he had helped in a difficult moment.