In the late nineteenth century, aboard a train crossing Europe, a conversation among passengers leads to the story of a Russian woman and the man travelling with her. They are connected by an earlier incident in which a chance encounter, gratitude, and a sense of moral duty changed both their lives. The narrative explores loyalty, personal choice, and the hidden depth of human relationships that may appear puzzling to outsiders.

Corsica, in the late nineteenth century. In the quiet town of Ajaccio, a magistrate becomes acquainted with the reclusive Englishman Sir John Rowell, whose past is surrounded by disturbing rumors. In his house hangs a strange and frightening trophy: a dried human hand chained to the wall. The story explores the uncertain boundary between reason and superstition, fear and crime, leaving behind a mystery that resists any single explanation.

France in the late nineteenth century. At the centre is the trial of Georges Louis, a carpenter accused of murdering an elderly married couple. His testimony brings a long-hidden family secret to light and raises questions about parental responsibility, social inequality, humiliation, and whether a person may pass judgment on those who once abandoned their own child. The hero’s private tragedy is set against the impersonal demands of law and public morality.

In a French village in the late nineteenth century, Mélina’s family prepares for her child’s baptism. Relatives, godparents, and the young priest Jean join the ceremonial procession, bringing him unusually close to the newborn. A familiar country ritual becomes a quiet reflection on kinship, the continuation of life, human tenderness, and the emotions concealed beneath the discipline and restraint of religious service.