deep traumas of war have made him deaf and mute, depressive and suicidal. He survives thanks to the help of his mother Louise and childhood friend Philippe, who both try to cheer him up in the small town of Périgueux. During an "Invalids’ Ball", Marcel meets a young war widow, Madeleine. His mother would like him to marry her, in spite of her son's lack of enthusiasm. In an attempt to draw Marcel out of his depression, Louise organises sign language lessons with a young teacher, Hélène. 

 

Surprisingly, Georges returns to the Laffont home and settled in the precarious family balance. But bitterness quickly replaces the joy of the reunion. Louise is angry with her eldest son for abandoning them.

Georges suffocates in his role of head of the family that everyone wants him to play.

He questions his mother's decisions regarding his brother's health and feels that the sign language lessons comfort Marcel in his role of invalid, also disapproving of Louise's plan to marry Marcel to Madeleine.

 

Georges impulsively goes to Paris to look for work. He goes and sees Fabrice, one of his former trench companions. But Georges feels uneasy in the festive atmosphere of the roaring twenties and eventually rejects his friend's offer of work. He sells his collection of African masks to a collector and buys a Torpedo. He returns home driving his new car.

 

He has decided to look after his brother. He takes his brother out to the countryside, along with Hélène, Marcel's sign language teacher. He falls in love with the young woman and they soon start a tumultuous affair.

But inner demons prevent Georges from being happy. Why did he return from Africa? Why is he incapable of living happily with Hélène? Georges will have to suffer many more dramas before finally settling a "ceasefire" with himself.