In the 60s. The old walls became cramped with sorbonne - she was suffocating from the influx of students. Then it was necessary to make a difficult decision reluctantly. The university recognized that some of the children in the capital could not get higher education in Paris itself, the Faculty of Philology pulled a piece out of its own body and threw it into the wasteland of Nanterre. In 1964, at the height of construction, the new faculty opened its doors stained with paint to students. The action of the novel covers one day - March 22, 1968. Along with the fictional characters, real faces are represented - Dean Grappen, Assessor God, student leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit.
It's six in the morning. Abdelaziz hears the ringing of the alarm clock and opens his eyes. Darkness and icy cold. Sometimes he says to himself: “Abdelaziz, why are you sticking out here?” Construction, dirt, rain, mortal longing. Are you sure you didn’t miscalculate? Which is better: sun without grub or grub and cold? ”
Seven o'clock. The alarm rings and Lucius Minstrel jumps out of bed instantly. There is nothing to wallow - there is a decisive second semester. After washing and boxing with his own reflection in the mirror, he slowly eats breakfast. Why doesn't he have a girl? Other guys easily bring their girlfriends to the hostel. Throwing a look at the tattered construction pit outside the window, he sits down at the table: you need to finish the Latin translation and re-read Jean-Jacques for the seminar. The slug Bushut, of course, is still breathing. Before leaving, the Minstrel stops in front of his door - two straight lines left with a short distance, pam-pam!
Eight hours. David Schulz, twenty-one years old, a second-year student in the Department of Sociology, anarchist leader, scornfully scans his cramped kennel. She and Brigitte barely fit in a narrow bunk. They managed to end sexual segregation, but even the girls who sleep with the guys are not truly free. So Brigitte cringed as soon as he raised his voice - he was afraid that the neighbors would hear. He looks in disgust at himself in the mirror - you can immediately see the fattened cow of the sissy. Why do these fools consider him beautiful? And Brigitte bitterly thinks that all talk of equality means nothing.
Nine o'clock. Assistant Delmon tosses at the door to the office of the head of the professor's department Earlier. It is necessary to ask this insignificance to support his candidacy for the position of full-time teacher. There are a lot of applicants, and Marie-Paul Lagardet, who walks along the corridor with a smile, will probably overtake him, because she knows how to flatter this puffed turkey.
Eleven o'clock. The minstrel sits in the reading room and stares into the old French text with unseeing eyes. The dearest mother seemed to send money, but the scholarship was delayed again - he was facing a financial catastrophe. True, there is hope to get a baby sitter place in two little spoiled thugs. Will he cope with them? I really want to eat - but even more I want to be loved. In the meantime, David Schulz meets an Algerian construction guy. Abdelaziz covers the terrace with tar. Young men are divided by thick glass. A student reading room looks like a large aquarium.
Thirteen hours. A small, thin, street-like boy Denise Farjo sits in a student cafe and listens carefully to his elder comrade, the communist Jome. The conversation is about politics; but Denise thinks about something completely different. Joma has a beautiful face. True, he is already terribly old - twenty-five years, no less. It would be great to go with him to Scotland for the summer holidays. Jaume, having completed an educational conversation, forgets about Denise: Jacqueline Cavaillon sits down to them, and he lazily reacts to her frank advances. There is a time for everything: he never had a shortage of young “parishioners”.
Fifteen hours. Abdelaziz and two old workers are called by the chief. Construction ends, and jobs have to be cut. The chief would prefer to leave young, but Abdelaziz refuses in favor of Moktar. The second Algerian rushes at the young man with a knife - Abdelaziz with difficulty manages to beat off the blow. One hope remains - to find a friendly guy from the reading room. David instantly finds a dormitory room for a young Algerian.
Sixteen hours. Assistant Delmod listens to rants at a professor’s club. Earlier: it is necessary to suppress anarchist inclinations of students, ruthlessly exclude rebels and create university police. Unable to stand it, Delmon rushes to the exit and nearly knocks down Earlier. Jacqueline Cavaillon makes a “great” decision - do you need to become like other girls, Jaume or Minstrel? Joma has too many worries. She makes an appointment with Lucien in her room.
Eighteen hours. Denise Farjo tries to write an abstract. But the sheet after forty minutes of work remains white. Knocks in the head. one thought - how to achieve love Joma?
Eighteen hours thirty minutes. At the university cafeteria, Professor Fremencourt — a liberal and clever — comforts Delmon. You can give a damn about the incident with Earlier. Let the supervisor attach his assistant directly to the Sorbonne. From the vengeance of one university bonza should be saved by the patronage of another. A rebellious gesture will contribute to a career.
Nineteen hours thirty minutes. Radical students take over the tower where the university administration is located. Thus, they want to protest against the indifferent law, repressive power. Listening to the fiery speeches, David Schulz thinks that Brigitte is now engaged in mathematics with Abdelaziz - it was decided to help the guy get at least elementary education. Of course, David despises bourgeois prejudices and stands by mountain for free love, but Brigitte is primarily his girl. Students do not take their eyes off the famous Dani Kon-Bendit, and Denise Fargeau, taking this opportunity, is pressed closer to Joma. At the same time, Professor N. was balancing on the verge of life and death - a heart attack fell him right in the tower.
Twenty two hours. In a small office apartment on the sixth floor of the tower, Professor N. is still fighting for life. Jacqueline Cavaillon lies in bed and wants to die. If the Minstrel does not come, she will eat all the pills, then they will all dance - both mother, father, and Minstrel. Lucien himself does not know whether he needs this girl now. He has a lot of problems and is brutally hungry. The place of the baby sitter sailed away - the damn Englishwoman suddenly set sail. Borrow some money from Buschut? Then you can’t drive this bore out of the room. He enters Jacqueline and immediately notices the pills. Lord, only this was not enough for him! .. Having scolded the stupid girl, he sees the sandwiches she prepared and swallows the saliva. Happy Jacqueline watches him eat. The ice of stiffness is gradually melting - both of them so lacked love!
Twenty three hours thirty minutes. David Schultz examines the sleeping Brigitte. He realizes that he has become entangled in contradictions: on the one hand, he reproaches his girl for inert ideology and respectable frigidity, and on the other - he doesn’t even think that she can belong to another. One must still know what morality to choose for yourself.
One hour forty five minutes. Tired students free the captured tower. Assessor God reports to Dean Grailpen that the revolution announced a sleep break, Professor N. still manages to cope with a heart attack. And Denise Fargeau finally decides to invite Joma to the holidays in Scotland.
