Edward Landauer, a brilliant microbiologist in his forties, meets a beautiful young woman. She is the love of his life and when the two marry in France, Edward is the happiest man in the world. Ruth Walta appears to represent a victory over time, but even she cannot stop him growing older. And before long, their marriage descends into a clash between her idealism and his realism. A masterful depiction of a faltering marriage by one of Holland's greatest novelists, the author of 'These Are the Names'.