故事再简单不过了：是关于一家男子服装商店有钱而喜欢喧闹的店主的故事。粗鲁、自满、男人气十足的德瑞尔，令他那细腻而冷漠的出生于中产阶级家庭的妻子玛萨厌恶。玛萨被他的钱所吸引，但十分反感他那没完没了忘乎所以的激情，于是把欲念转向丈夫的外甥，瘦弱、笨拙、近视的弗朗兹。刚到柏林不久，投靠舅舅的弗朗兹就在舅妈的床上回报了舅舅的恩赐。这本小说只隐约交待了一下历史背景：30年代西方经济大萧条时期。其它种种完全可以撇开历史来读。

The story of Dreyer, a wealthy and boisterous proprietor of a men's clothing store, his cold middle-class wife, Martha, and their nephew, Franz. Attracted to his money but repelled by his oblivious passion, Martha longs for their nephew instead.