Celestine, the chambermaid, has a new job in the country, at the Lanlaires       She has decided to use her beauty to seduce a wealthy man       But Mr Lanlaire is not a right choice all the house is firmly controlled by Mme Lanlaire, helped by the strange valet Joseph       Then she tries the neighbour, ex-officer Mauger       This seems to work       But soon the son of the Lanlaires comes back       He is young, attractive, and does not share his mother's anti-republicans opinions       So Celestine's beauty attracts Captain Mauger, young Georges Lanlaire, and also Joseph       Three men, from three different social classes, with three different conceptions of life       Will Celestine be able to convince Georges of her sincerity Will sinister and inflexible Joseph let his views upon Celestine be ruined A quite disillusioned depiction of humanity