La fauvette du temple

Pierre Aubertin is the fiancé of Thérèse – the pretty flower-girl, called the 'la fauvette du temple' – and Joseph Abrial, is betrothed to his love Zélie.

Saint-Angénor agrees to a demand from Thérèse, that, in return for becoming his pupil, he will give 2,000 francs to buy out Pierre from his military service.

But Pierre, suspicious of the professor, refuses to take the money and leaves for Africa, while Saint-Angénor plans to go to Italy with his new pupil and her 'maid' Zélie.

After a scene in which Joseph expresses his boredom with army life and Lieutenant Pierre leads off the zouaves, an attachment of Arabs led by Bou Maleck emerge from the rocks.

Now Pierre and Joseph return and demand to know the whereabouts of a singer, 'Frasquita' (Thérèse’s stage name), who gave a concert the previous day and was arrested along with her manager.