Late 19th Century Berlin. The stately house of the commerce councillor Jenny Treibel has done something to Corinna, a destitute professor's daughter. Therefore, she conveniently falls into a relationship with Treibels' son Leopold, despite Leopold's mother's intentions to thwart such scandalous trysting between her son and the penniless girl. Yet as the two's secret engagement attains public attention, they are pressured into an immediate marriage. Corinna has already seen through the intrigue, however, and turns her affections toward her cousin Marcel, a social democrat whom has been thrown out of the country. Marcel knows that Corinna waits for him.