Martin, a poor student, volunteers to go on a quest to find a cure for the princess Adriana, who is stricken with a strange illness. Unknown to Martin or anyone else, the princess is actually under the spell of the powerful magician Andlobrandini, who is preparing a rejuvenating elixir made from the blood of nine men's hearts.
Eight-year old Dominique has a name-day. Her parents have a gift for her, but only give it to her in the evening, when everybody has come home from work. Then she darts out, where her girlfriends are already waiting for her.
Diane is married to Julien, an architect. The two met in Czechoslovakia before marrying and moving to France. Julien becomes extremely jealous when he suspects Diane of having a lesbian affair with a ballet dancer. His incessant questions and insane jealousy make Diane resentful to the point she considers pushing him off a cliff.
