Colonel Forester von Knör only gives his daughter Ernestine to wife to a man who has previously defeated the young girl on the chessboard. The 37-year-old Rittmeister von Falkenberg, a very bad chess player, does the trick. The couple's happiness is clouded by another restriction. Falkenberg's mother-in-law has determined that the first child should be brought up and hidden underground by a young Moravian, the Genius, for a full eight years. This is what happens to Gustav, the hero of this biography, after Ernestine gave birth to the child in the Falkenberg knight seat in Auenthal. The little boy is being hardened in an old, brick-lined cavity in the castle garden "not against the beauties of nature and the distortions of people at the same time". After eight years of upbringing "under the crust of the earth", Gustav was released from the "moral greenhouse" and from then on he was under the care of his concerned above-ground parents. But soon afterwards the child goes astray in the forest. The boy survived this too. Gustav is safely handed over to the relieved parents by the wealthy wife Luise von Röper. At first Frau von Röper was very surprised in the forest. After all, the boy found looked like her dear prodigal son Guido. An explanation can quickly be found for the similarity. Gustav's father, the Rittmeister, has another son. He had fathered him illegitimately, sixteen years before his marriage, with his lover Luise and ran away. Luise was lucky in misfortune. Röper's commercial agent, "just an outward renegade of Catholicism", had taken her as his wife. Luise had brought Guido into the marriage. Beata had emerged from Luise's connection with the commercial agent.Gustav finds - again in the forest - his future friend Amandus, son of Doctor Zoppo from Pavia. The little Italian fared badly in Germany. A "devilish ophthalmologist" had lured the little one into the thicket to rob him of his eyesight. Fortunately, thanks to Gustav, Amandus is in the right hands. Pestilenziar Medical Council Dr. Fenk, who also takes care of Gustav's upbringing, is relieved to see: "He's not going blind!" And describes Amandus as his child, takes the boy under his wing. Fenk had also been Ottomar's tutor. This is the adult natural son of the ruling prince in Scheerau.The Rittmeister insists on Gustav's military training. The Rittmeister's silent, now 18-year-old son becomes a cadet. However, the "nerd who was raised underground" was not made for the profession of officer. "Gustav's soul" is "a temperate country without storms, full of sunshine without the heat of the sun". But "the storm months of his heart are getting closer". At court, Gustav met the resident von Bouse and her "lady companion" Beata, meanwhile in the 20s of his young life."Two chaste" young "people" - Gustav and Beata - can be found in the castle. But there is still Amandus. Beata is the lover of his heart. But Amandus has "nervous consumption" and "already hears the evening wind of his life blowing". Shortly before his death - caused by a "nervous attack" - he brought Beata and Gustav together. However, disaster threatens from another side. Beata has too much innocence for the prince. The ruler is waiting for the opportunity to "offer the young girl a brief love". This can be found after a theater performance on the occasion of the resident's birthday. Beata, however, rejects the "Scheerau throne inmate". The prince leaves. Gustav, however, does not have half of Beata's resilience. The innocent, "underground" educated youth succumbs the same night after the performance of the art of seduction by von Bouse. The "defiled" consequently leaves his beloved Beata. Both withdraw from the court, sick, and seek refuge - with their parents.Many months later, on the east Indian island of Teidor, the couple, who had recovered from their fair health, shyly approached. Both of them are no more than friends among all friends.