The opening of the novella paints a vivid scene at a cemetery where Lydia Bremer pays her respects to her deceased parents and silently grapples with her inner conflict regarding her morphine use. As she seeks a moment of solace, she is drawn into a conversation with Dr. Turnau, a fellow morphine user who acknowledges their shared predicament. This initial interaction sets the stage for a deeper exploration into their relationship and the lengths Lydia is willing to go to secure her morphine supply, revealing themes of desperation and the pursuit of pleasure amidst a backdrop of societal norms and expectations. The beginning effectively foreshadows a complex narrative centered on addiction and the ethical dilemmas it raises. (This is an automatically generated summary.)