A panorama of the internal turmoil of mid-fifteenth century France and the Orient, which had been opened to Europe by the Crusades.

In the first part, this tells of Pierre's childhood, the usual experiments with the other sex, a drunken tavern fight, adventure in Paris. In the second half, the action moves to his activities as special agent to the Near East where he uncovers a smuggling plot, wins fame and fortune to be worthy of his lady love whom, on his return, he rescues from a nunnery.