Simenon paints an arresting picture of a disappearing Parisian life. The setting is a restaurant at Les Halles, Paris' central market, a juncture of urban and rural life. The restaurant's founder, Auguste, came from the countryside of Auvergne and brought with him the tenacious work habits of the peasant, along with his distrust of government and reticence to discuss personal and financial matters. One day he suffers a stroke and dies in the restaurant. Auguste's three sons, who have taken different directions in life, are now faced with how to handle an unknown inheritance. The restaurant has been quite successful and Auguste has lived a simple life. What has he done with his earnings? There is no will. The middle son, Antoine, has been his father's partner in the restaurant for several years and now finds himself under suspicion. Family feelings are now exposed. In the end the question of where Auguste's fortune has landed is answered, but his burial also marks the end of the "brotherhood" of his heirs.