Mr. Polgár is a provincial paper dealer. His sons, Viktor and Feri, are managers in a big factory in the capital, spending their money lavishly, living their lives in a careless, irresponsible way. Viktor is to marry a baroness and feels rather too uneasy about his father's small business. He persuades his old man into selling the business he had so long cherished and to move to their place in Pest.

The carefree squandering of Baron Inokay's wealth, the steward Gáspár Borly - who is called "the old scoundrel" behind his back - is rumored to have been stealing from the Baron's family for years and has amassed a large fortune. Baroness Mária Inokay, who was raised in Vienna and is destined to be Count Balassa, returns home. However, Mária loves her childhood playmate, Gáspár Borly's grandson. Old Borly is eventually convicted of the theft, but his will reveals that he only saved what he could and left all the valuables he had embezzled to Mária. After this, nothing can stand in the way of their previously seemingly hopeless love.

Péter Ilosvay and Lina Vásárhelyi are wife and husband, but don't come along with each other. After the divorce they go on living under the same roof for they are unable to agree on the common wealth.