Léonce is married to a beautiful girl. The two adore one another, but just like with children, the proverb stating: «For he who has one, it is as though he has none» is true for love as well; thus, while full of love for Léonce, Renée’s heart still feels a bit empty, and she’d like to love something else – on the side, if as much can be said, of her main feelings. Convinced that she has understood the vacuous state of her goddaughter’s heart, Renée’s godmother sends her a lovely portable doghouse, with inside a dog so tiny that, just like the dog in the Arab legend, it could pass through a ring. […] Léonce, who has no understanding whatsoever for the emotional subtleties of women, considers the dog an intruder. At first, Léonce sulks about, since he doesn’t like dogs. […] Then, one day during a discussion over the dog, something unfortunate happens. Renée tells the maid, «Marie, Toto needs to be taken downstairs to do his business.» But Marie, who has a very personal concept of dignity, peremptorily refuses to do it. […] In order to have the last word, in the end the young missis takes Toto herself, and once on the street, Toto – what’s so funny? – makes friends with a magnificent bulldog whose owner, in turn, makes friends with the owner of Toto. The two chat, boasting the virtues of their respective dogs. Looking out the window, Léonce watches the scene from above and flies into a rage: when Renée comes back upstairs, she’ll hear about it. A terrible scene explodes between them, and Léonce, who is a bit a short on issues, uses his hands… […] She’s made up her mind: she’s leaving. When Léonce realizes the decision is final, he doesn’t insist, pretending to go into his studio. In reality, he lays waiting. After his wife has hailed a taxi, she puts Toto in the car and returns inside the house to get the rest of her things. Léonce takes advantage of the moment to take the dog out of the car. As soon as the car starts moving, he goes back in the house. «Toto and I are leaving forever. Goodbye! Renée». But Léonce’s plan is infallible. When Renée notices that Toto is not in car, it doesn’t occur to her that the dog was stolen. Convinced that she accidentally left him in the house, she immediately orders the driver to turn around. Upon entering her conjugal home, the woman is unpleasantly struck by the silence reigning over the sacred place, where a weak echo of their kisses still resounds. «Toto and I are leaving forever. Goodbye! Léonce.»

Brochure from Société des Etablissements Gaumont, n.4361