Résumé
The novel is a political satire that follows the ambitious career of Eugène Rougon during the Second French Empire.
The first chapter opens with a scene in the Chamber of Deputies, where a small number of deputies are present on a rainy afternoon.
The president of the chamber is managing the session, which is marked by general boredom and private conversations among the deputies.
The political intrigue begins as several deputies, including M. Kahn and M.
La Rouquette, discuss the rumored political appointment of Eugène Rougon, who is conspicuously absent.
The arrival of various members of Rougon's social circle, including a young woman named Clorinde and other individuals who seem to have a vested interest in his success, highlights the networks of influence that surround the protagonist and the political system.