Florent escape from an island prison. He was condemned because of several mistakes in the process during a rebellion against Napoleon III. He is a thin and damaged man.

He asks his family - his younger brother whom he used to support killing himself working and his family - to put up with him for a little while until he finds a job. His brother and his wife have a successful butcher's.

Zola considered this a masterpiece, his best work. I don't know about the rest of his production, but I thought it was very very good.