A man who loves books is told by his doctor that he has ten years before he goes blind. The man is stricken: he reads to the extent of having his wife and children leave him for not paying attention to them, and at first, he doesn't know what he'll do without being able to read. After reflection, he decides that books had blinded him all along to the rest of life. He leaves his house and his books, intent on making the most of his ten years of sight.