 The story follows an unnamed narrator who visits a mental institution in southern France (more accurately, a ""Maison de Santé"") known for a revolutionary new method of treating mental illnesses called the "system of soothing".A companion with whom he is travelling knows Monsieur Maillard, the originator of the system, and makes introductions before leaving the narrator.The narrator is shocked to learn that the "system of soothing" has recently been abandoned.