Dr. Bruno Sachs, the only medical practitioner in a small French town, seems on the surface to be compassionate and dedicated. However, in private he is not happy in his work and does not like most of his patients, which include a heart patient who refuses life-saving surgery, and a man whose wife wants sex three times a day, the strain of which is causing his body to wear out. To supplement his income, Dr. Sachs performs abortions in a nearby town. Here he meets Pauline Kasser, a young woman, and they are attracted to each other. While she is not interested in a traditional courtship, she would like to consummate their relationship. A few days later she bumps into him in a book shop, and their relationship seems to start to blossom.