Thomas Gordeiev is the son of a rich grain merchant. As a child and a young man, he lives a protected life, embellished by the privileges of his social class. Affected very early on by the abject misery in which the people were confined, he does nothing at first though. In love with Sophia, the wife of a lawyer, it soon turns out that his mistress is only a creature of light morals. Disappointed, he breaks up with her and, out of spite, indulges in debauchery. But, realizing the inanity of his life, he gradually moves closer to the poor and away from his peers who, in turn, reject him.