The novel opens with a reflective prologue (“First Note”) where the narrator invites readers into a personal story shaped by memory and desire. Set in late 1870s Marseille, the young narrator becomes entangled in arms smuggling tied to Spanish royalist movements. He meets Dona Rita, a mysterious and aristocratic woman whose reserved beauty captures his fascination. As their interactions grow, his loyalty, passion, and identity are quietly tested. This first half builds the psychological and political tensions that will soon escalate.