Maria Alexandrovna Moskaleva, thanks to her unsurpassed ability to splurge, “kill” an opponent with a well-aimed word and deftly gossip, is recognized as the “first lady” of the provincial city of Mordasov. Hating and fearing, all, however, acknowledge its influence. Her husband Afanasy Matveevich, who was rustic and extremely frightened by his wife, once lost his place “for inability and dementia” and lives alone in a “suburban village”, soaring in a bath and drinking tea. The Moskalevs have only one hundred and twenty souls of the estate; Marya Alexandrovna dreams of a brilliant life in "high society", the only way to which is the advantageous marriage of her twenty-three-year-old beautiful daughter Zina. Therefore, two years ago, she sharply opposed the girl’s love for the humble teacher of her soon deceased little brother. A handsome and educated young man was just the son of a clerk, received a penniless salary in a county school, but considered himself a great poet with a great future. Zina, despite her mother’s refusal to marry them, continued to see and correspond with Vasya. After some quarrel, the proud man in a fit of vengeance gave the city gossip one of her love letters, which threatened with a scandal. Saving the daughter’s reputation, Marya Alexandrovna paid two hundred rubles to her native Nastasya Petrovna for stealing a letter from ill-wishers. Zina's “honor” was saved. Repenting, Vasya drank a mixture of tobacco and wine in despair, which caused consumption in him. Now he is dying. The insulted Zina all this time, however, is “tormented” and helps the sick mother with money.

Not seeing the best party, the eldest Moskaleva was not averse to betraying her “overriding” daughter for twenty-five-year-old Pavel Alexandrovich Mozglyakov. He has only one hundred and fifty souls and is “a little empty in his head”, but “not bad manners”, excellent costumes and “high hopes” for a place in St. Petersburg. Mozglyakov “in love with madness” and has already made an offer. Indifferent to him, Zina does not respond with a final refusal, but asks for two weeks to think. An impatient young man, however, takes the opportunity to appear at the Moskalevs earlier. Hoping to please Marya Alexandrovna, who claims to have a role in the world, he brings to her house the rich and noble prince K., whom he just “saved” from a snowdrift during a traffic accident.

Seven years ago, K. spent six months in Mordasov’s “society”, conquering the ladies with high-courtesy courtesy and releasing the remnants of his fortune. Already without a penny, the prince suddenly received the news of a new rich inheritance - the estate of Dukhanov near Mordasov with four thousand souls - and left for Petersburg for its registration. Soon after returning to the city, he traveled all the way to Dukhanov under the supervision of a certain Stepanida Matveevna, who disposed of the estate and did not let his relatives go to the old man, including Mozglyakov, who was a very distant relationship with the prince, but called him uncle. They say that other heirs wanted to take the demented prince under guardianship and even put him in a madhouse. And now, thanks to the “happy” case, six years later he was again with his “friends” in Mordasov.

This "not yet God knows which old man" is so "worn out" that "it is all made up of <...> pieces": with a glass eye, false teeth, false hair, in a corset, with a prosthesis instead of one leg, with springs for straightening wrinkles and etc. For most of the day he sits at his toilet, dressed as a fashionable young man and reduces all conversations to amorous adventures. Already powerless, he maintains voluptuous habits, making compliments, admiring “forms”, “greedily lorning” “attractive” females. Always short-sighted, in recent years he has completely lost his mind: he confuses people and circumstances, does not recognize friends, and carries nonsense. Nevertheless, Marya Alexandrovna is proud of his “aristocratic” society, which excels her over other pretenders to the primacy in the city. She flatters and feignedly sympathizes with the simple-minded and unkind old man.

Jokingly, Mozglyakov offers Nastasya Petrovna to marry a "half-dead man", so that she soon becomes a rich widow. She doesn’t mind. However, the "idea" "caught fire ... in the head" and the hostess herself. When Mozglyakov takes the “uncle” away for visits, with an indispensable promise to return to dinner, Marya Alexandrovna proceeds to a conversation with her daughter.

Zina, the girl of “stubborn romanticism” and “severe nobility”, at first flatly refuses “baseness”: “to go out <...> to the cripple to get his money out of him and then <...> wish him dead every hour!!” But the mother makes use of all her “ingenious” eloquence, the extraordinary art of seduction, either by painting poetic pictures of a trip to Spain, then by the exploits of Christian mercy in relation to the helpless old man, or the opportunity to heal the beloved Vasya with the money of the prince and marry him married . Zina, albeit with contempt, but agrees. But the "dirt" and "stench" the mother must take upon herself. Now the main thing is a secret so that the machinations of jealous ladies do not destroy the plan. Meanwhile, Nastasya Petrovna, who had overheard them, offended by unflattering reviews about herself, decides to take revenge.

Soon, Moskaleva learns about the "interception" of the prince by rivals, who have almost guessed her intentions. She rushes to the crew and almost by force returns the old man to her. After lunch, Mozglyakov very conveniently gathers for tea to the godfather. But on the threshold, Nastasya Petrovna secretly restrains him and leads him to eavesdrop on the “comedy” of seduction.

There are three in the “salon”: an old man, Zina and a mother. She makes her daughter sing a romance twice, which awakens passionate memories in the prince. Skillfully directed by the mistress, tipsy and sympathetic, Bonvivan makes Zina an offer. Satisfied Marya Aleksandrovna takes the “sour” guest upstairs, “lie down”.

Shocked by the "cunning" of Moskalev Mozglyakov rushes to Zina and arranges her a scene. The girl arrogantly upsets the ex-groom. He is ready to take revenge, but Marya Alexandrovna, who has arrived in time, through the most sophisticated demagogy “pacifies” him. Mozglyakov leaves, confident in Zina's love and future brilliant life with her after the death of the prince.

Moskaleva decides to immediately take the old man to the village, where to marry Zina. She flies for her husband, who is now necessary for "representation" in front of the prince. Afanasy Matveyevich receives strict instructions to be silent and “sarcastically” smile in response to any questions. Upon returning to the city, Marya Aleksandrovna finds uninvited guests in her “salon” - about a dozen ladies exuding envy, anger and ridicule under mock courtesy. Their goal is to disrupt the plans of the hostess.

Meanwhile, Mozglyakov, who, with common sense, understood the “Jesuitism” of Marya Alexandrovna, returns to the Moskalevs, quietly rises to the newly awakened “uncle” and convinces the madman that Zina’s offer is just his “charming” dream.

In the “salon,” Marya Alexandrovna decides to disarm the “enemies” with a bold “trick”: he publicly announces the offer of Prince Zina. However, the old man supported by his "nephew" stubbornly denies that it was "in reality", and not in a dream. The disgraced mistress, forgetting about decency, rudely scolds the “nasty” Mozglyakov. Everyone laughs viciously. Zina, for her part, pours contempt on the guests and, frankly talking about the intrigue, asks for forgiveness from the prince. Once again charmed by her, Mozglyakov repents of deceiving "uncle." In the meantime, an ugly squabble between the ladies flares up, in which the prince also gets a firm grip. In horror, he leaves for the hotel, where on the third day he dies.

Zina, caused by Vasya’s mother, spends these days with a dying teacher. Her reputation is completely undermined. However, Mozglyakov “renews” his proposal. Having been refused, he leaves for Petersburg. Having sold the property, they leave Mordasov and Moskalev. A year later, Zina marries an elderly general, the governor of the “remote land,” where she becomes the first lady. Marya Alexandrovna, together with her daughter, shines in "high society". Both of them hardly recognize Mozglyakov accidentally stopping by in their place.