Paul initially courts Mime, an AA member and former ballerina, by choreographing a ballet for her. It turns out to be a puppet show with her pulling the strings. But the real love of his life turns out to be Maynot,, the shrewd publicist, who screws him of his savings from his lifetime devotion of writing. She also begets him a child who manages to kill himself. It turns out Paul dies too, and as a result is at a loss for words.