Hervé, a French silkworm trader, is devoted to his stunning wife, Hélène. However, a devastating disease decimates the European silkworm population, prompting Hervé to journey to Japan for healthy eggs. Upon reaching a remote village, he becomes captivated by a young concubine and is drawn into a passionate obsession. As tensions rise and war erupts in Japan, the concubine disappears, compelling Hervé to return to his life with Hélène, torn between duty and desire.