 On a gray morning, a circus caravan arrives in the town where Albert the ringmaster s family lives. He hasn t seen them for three years and has taken a mistress, the young and buxom Anne. Albert calls on his wife; Anne, jealous and wanting out, visits a theatrical troupe and lets an actor, Frans, seduce her in exchange for a necklace he says is valuable. Anne finds out it s worthless at about the same time Albert s wife declines to let him live with the family. Albert and Anne are stuck with the circus and each other; there s a show tonight, Frans will be there smirking and sardonic, the bear is mangy, the clown is as sour as they come, and suicide offers an exit.