When a well-known novelist, Boris von Dideritz and his wife, Lisa visit the residence of Count Grokholsky, the young woman immediately stands out among the local women for her striking beauty, natural elegance and irresistibility to men. Old Count Grokholsky, Grigoriy, his young good-for-nothing son and Danila Okhlopkov, court counselor and friend of the Gorokholskys, are all enchanted by her. Lisa enjoys the attention, and because of her husband's indifference to her, she flirts with and gives false hope to each of her potential suitors. They become agonizingly jealous of one another, and their suffering only increases when Lisa disappears one day without trace.
