Léonce Plumeau receives news at his office that his elderly aunt Ursule is very ill. After expressing his unbridled joy, he writes to his wife to urge her to go immediately to take care of the inheritance and to bring his aunt one of the jars of jam she is making. The aunt welcomes her warmly and shows her the will, which names her as the sole heir. Léontine returns delighted. Immediately after her departure, the aunt, who loves jam, hastens to open the jar and taste its contents, when she notices her nephew's handwriting on the lid.