The young Countess Pogodina, left an orphan, comes to high-society St. Petersburg. Maria's cousin, Count Manokhin, a man who evokes disgust and contempt in her, having learned that the orphan is rich, intends to marry her. But the girl is against it! How to avoid a hated marriage? And Maria decides on a desperate act - to ask Prince Mityashev to take her as his wife...