A novel set in London during the First World War. Ferdinand, a wounded French soldier, has found his way to the city's underworld, where he gets involved with pimps, petty criminals, schemers and eccentric landlords. Much of the action takes place in foggy streets and shady rooms, and Ferdinand drifts between danger and farce. The book is lively, noisy and inventive, filled with slang and odd characters. It continues the adventures of Céline's narrator and forms a loose sequel to Mort à crédit, with a second part published later.