Alexei, 25-year-old home teacher, with the family of an elderly General Zagoryansky - stepdaughter Pauline and two small children - live in a luxury hotel on the German resort Roulette burg. Yet in Russia, General laid his estate to a certain Marquis de Grieux, and for six months looks forward to news from Moscow about the death of his sick aunt Antonida Tarasevicheva. Then Marquis de Grieux will take over the general's property, and the latter will receive a large inheritance, and marries a beautiful young Frenchwoman mademoiselle Blanche, who he is passionately in love with. The French, in anticipation of big money, are always near the general, who is a simple-minded man, also subjected to strong passions. Alexei they all treat almost as a servant, which greatly hurts his pride. Russian teacher is in friendship only with the Englishman Astley, aristocrat and rich, extremely honest, noble and chaste man. Both of them are in love with Pauline.About two months ago, this beautiful and proud girl wished to make Alexei her friend. Between them established a unique relationship of a "slave" and a "torturer." An educated gentleman, but without funds, Alexey is hurt by his dependent position - so love for an arrogant and brusque Pauline often mixes with hatred. Young teacher is convinced that only money can bring him the respect of others, including his girlfriend, "Money - is everything!" The only way of finding it is winning at roulette. Pauline also needs the money, but for unclear for Alexei purposes. She does not believe in the seriousness of his love, perhaps because his too developed ego, sometimes amounting to cruel desire to kill the scoffer. Yet, at the whim of his lady, the teacher makes antics: insults while walking Prussian baronial couple Vurmergelmov.In the evening the scandal bursts. Baron asked the general to deprive of the place the daring "servant." He rudely scolds Alexei. On his part, the latter is resented by the fact that the General took responsibility for his actions: he is "a person legally competent." Fighting for his dignity, even in the "disadvantaged position" of a teacher, he is behaving provocatively, and it really ends with his dismissal. However, the general somehow is scared by the intention of the former teacher to talk with Baron himself. He sends to Alexei de Grieux with a request to leave his venture. Seeing Alexei persistence, the Frenchman goes to the threats, and then passes a note from Pauline, which says him to stop. The "slave" obeys, but is puzzled by the influence of de Grieux on Pauline.Astley, who the hero reveals about what has happened, explains the matter. It turns out that two years ago Mlle Blanche has spent the season in Roulette burg. Abandoned by her lovers, without money, she tried her fate unsuccessfully on the roulette wheel. Then she decided to charm Baron, for which, on the complaint of the baroness to the police, was expelled from the city. Now, trying to become the general's wife, Blanche has to avoid attention of Vurmergelmov. Continuation of the scandal is undesirable.Returning to the hotel, Alexei in amazement sees on the porch grandmother just arrived from Russia, whose death in waited in vain by the general and French. This is a 75-year-old formidable and rich landowner and a Moscow lady, in a chair with paralyzed legs, with coarse manners. Her arrival is a disaster for everyone, a direct and sincere, the old woman immediately denies the general with money for his attitude. The story of Alexei and Prussian baron she judges from the standpoint of Russian national dignity: "do not know how to support their homeland." She is disturbed by unenviable fate of Pauline and general's children; servant for the patriarchal lady also is a "living person". Disliked the French, she praised Astley.................l