Life is so dull in a quiet little neighborhood that gossips, eager for some kind of scandal to brighten things up, imagine their haberdasher has been having quite a raunchy sex life.
Mr. Durand is bored in his relationship. He takes a mistress but does not take long to return to his wife, a little because he is sad, a little also because he has affection for her, but above all out of selfish habit.