When Henri Des Prunelles neglects his wife Cyprienne to undertake experiments in his laboratory, Cyprienne clandestinely meets her cousin, Count Adhemar de Gratinan, on the beach and falls in love with him. After catching them together, Henri nonchalantly states that he intends to give his wife up and discusses the new easy divorce law. When Cyprienne sees Madame de Brionee, a family friend, flirt with Henri, she jealously breaks off a dinner engagement between them and goes with Henri to dinner. After the count, displeased with Cyprienne's sudden indifference to him, gets Cyprienne's note that she left for her aunt's home, he finds the house but discovers that the aunt has been dead for years. The count is then mistaken for a highwayman and arrested. Madame de Brionee and Clavignac, another friend of Henri's, secure the count's release and take him to the cabaret restaurant where Henri and Cyprienne are dining. After overhearing Cyprienne's laughter in the next room, the count barges in and tries to have Henri arrested but is sent away by a policeman.