Jean-Baptiste is struggling to recover from the departure of his wife, whom he sees again every weekend with her new husband. It also lodges a young man who tried to commit suicide in order to give him back a taste for life.

After having been rescued from suicide, a young man is the object of a bet by his doctor that the doctor can help him recover his joy in life. Ironically, the doctor's life is not a very happy one either, and his boast has a hollow sound. For one thing, although he seemingly has a "happy divorce," in which he, his ex-wife and her new husband are all great pals, it's not true. He wants his wife back. All sorts of complications arise out of these lies and distortions.