Summary

Chapter One. One voice, belonging to a man named Molina, narrates a story to a listener whose name is revealed to be Valentin. The story, parts of which have been forgotten or enhanced by Molina, revolves around a young woman, Irena, who is convinced that she will turn into a panther if she kisses a man. She meets and falls in love with an architect, who begs her to go to a therapist to ease her fears. She finds that she is strangely afraid of the therapist, however, and stops going to her appointments.

It becomes clear that the two speakers are cellmates in a prison; Molina has been incarcerated for corrupting minors. The story is interrupted by their conversations and their sleep, for the story is told while the two are lying in their beds waiting to drop off. Irena marries the architect but...