With this work, the author wants to convince the reader that “only in the darkness of the grave can a person be able to find peace”, because “the indefatigability of the passions” and “the inevitability of fate” “will never give him rest on earth.”

Kurval, a wealthy gentleman of about fifty, decides to marry a second time. The first wife left him, in order to indulge in debauchery, the son followed the example of his mother, and the daughter died in infancy. Friends introduce Courval to Mademoiselle de Florville, a girl of thirty-six, leading an impeccable lifestyle. True, Florville never knew her parents, and no one knows who they are. In her early youth, she had a love affair, from which a child was born, but the baby then disappeared somewhere. However, such information does not bother Kurval, and, having met the girl, he immediately makes her an offer. But Florville demands that Courval first listen to her story and only then seek her hand.

Florville, whom everyone considers a relative of the venerable Mr. de Saint-Pra, was a baby thrown at his door, and he raised her as a child. When Florville passed sixteen years, Mr. de Saint-Pra, so as not to violate decency, he sent the girl to the provinces to her sister to look after her. With the approval of the sister of Saint-Pra, a person of rather free morals, Florville took the courtship of the young officer of Senval. Ardent Senval was handsome, Florville fell in love with him and finally handed him the color of his youth. After some time, her son was born, and she hoped that her lover would marry her. But he took the child and disappeared. The inconsolable Florville returned to Paris to Saint-Pra and confessed to him everything. The condescending Saint-Pra, chastising the girl, sent her to his - this time pious - relative of Madame de Lerens. But even here Florville was in danger. At the request of her friend, Madame de Lerens introduced the young Saint-Ange into the house so that “virtuous examples would help to shape his soul.” Saint-Ange fell in love with Florville, although she did not reciprocate. He pursued her everywhere and one night, breaking into her bedroom, forcibly took possession of her. Breaking out of his embrace, the enraged Florville struck him with needlework scissors. The blow fell in the heart, and Saint-Ange immediately died.

Madame de Lorens settled the sad consequences of the case. Florville went to Paris to Saint-Pra. In a roadside hotel, she witnessed a murder, and based on her testimony, an elderly woman who stabbed her goods went to the scaffold. In Paris, following the wishes of Florville, Saint-Prax helped her to live at the holy monastery, where she lives and now, spending days in pious occupations and prayers.

After listening to Florville's confession, Courval continues to insist on their marriage, for, in his opinion, Florville is not guilty of his misfortunes.

And Florville becomes Kurval's wife, they are already waiting for the heir, when the prodigal son of Courval appears from his first wife and tells the story of his misadventures.

Having left his father, he joined the regiment and soon rose to the rank of officer. In a provincial town, he seduced a certain noble girl, and she gave birth to a child from him. Out of cowardice, he left the damsel and fled to Italy, taking his son with him. When his son grew up, he sent him to France to improve his upbringing, where he fell in love with a charming girl. Having wished to “take by force what was denied to him” by that virtuous person, his son received a blow to the chest, which became fatal for him. In desperation from the death of his son, he went to travel. On the way, he met a woman sentenced to death and recognized her as her mother. He made an appointment with her, and his mother told him that she had been convicted on the basis of the testimony of a certain noble young person who was the only witness to her crime. To top it off, his mother revealed a secret to him: it turns out he has a sister. When she was born, the mother, desiring that the whole inheritance be inherited by her son, deceived her husband, saying that the girl was dead, but actually threw her to a certain gentleman de Saint-Pra ...

At these words, poor Florville stands up in horror and calls to the son of Courval: “Do you recognize me, Senval, recognize in me your sister, the girl seduced by you, the murderer of your son, the wife of your father and the disgusting creature that brought your mother to the scaffold ... "And rushing to Senval's gun, she grabs him, shoots herself and falls, drenched in blood.

After the death of Florville, Mr. de Courval was seriously ill, but his son's concerns brought him back to life. “But both of them, after so many cruel blows of fate,” decide to retire to the monastery.