Umberto Leone, a wealthy eccentric, dies in Egypt. In his will, he bequeaths enormous amounts of money to several perfect strangers - including Jean-Baptiste! Intrigued by such a curious inheritance, the young man decides to follow Leone's tracks and sails to Cairo, last destination of the late explorer. There, in the shadow of the pyramids, he will meet French expatriates with dubious motives, gold-crazed janissaries, mysterious holy men... and above all the beautiful Dieneba.