In the summer of 1832, a hawker travelled over hill and dale to the farms, villages and castles of Southern France, Everywhere his lovely wares were in great demand. But tragedy followed in his wake. First one customer, then whole families die. What is the explanation, who is this diabolical man? The hawker has been selling contraband scarves from a quarantined ship in Toulon, and unwittingly infected the whole of Provence with cholera.