Silvia's father grants her permission to meet Dorante, the man she's promised to in marriage, by pretending to be her servant Lisette, who in turn will play the role of her mistress. When Dorante turns up pretending to be his servant Arlequin, with whom he has exchanged clothes and position, the two couples are caught in their own trap, to the amusement of the girl's benevolent and highly civilized father. This risky gamble, in which emotions play mayhem with convention, leads the protagonists to roll the dice and almost lose themselves in their own performances.