Marguerite, still a child, experiences a triple mourning: the death of her mother at birth, the imminent death of her dog, and shortly after, the abrupt dismissal of her nanny, Barbe. Her childhood is built around great loneliness, having only animals and nature as companions. But under the watchful eye of a demanding father, immersed in classical culture, Marguerite finds solace in nature and prepares herself to become a writer.