Ne touchez pas la hache

In the 1823 setting of Majorca, a French general named Armand de Montriveau becomes fixated on a cloistered nun named Antoinette after overhearing her sing in a chapel. The story flashes back to their initial meeting in Paris, where Antoinette was part of high society and Montriveau was recently returned from Africa. As they begin a romantic relationship, Montriveau's possessive behavior becomes increasingly intense, ultimately leading Antoinette to become obsessed with him. The story unfolds with letters, balls, scandal, kidnapping, and an ultimatum, ultimately leaving the question of whose steel proved sharper and whether the outcome is tragic or grotesque.