This author hears the story from the nanny of his younger brother Lyubov Onisimovna, formerly the beauty of the actress of the Oryol theater, Count Kamensky. She takes the author to Trinity to the cemetery, where at the simple grave she tells the story of the “stupid artist” Arkady.

Arkady - a hairdresser and make-up artist - combes all the serf artists of the count. He himself is a “man with ideas,” in other words, an artist, handsome from himself, and even the count loves him, but he is very strict and nobody except him is allowed to use the services of Arkady. The count is very bad "through his everlasting evil" and immediately resembles all animals. Lyubov Onisimovna in the same theater sings in choirs, dances and knows all the roles in tragic plays. Arkady and Lyubov Onisimovna love each other, but dating is completely impossible: the covenant of chastity, immutable for actresses, can be violated only by the count himself.

At this time, the count arranges a performance in honor of the sovereign passing through the Eagle. The actress, who is supposed to play the “Duchess de Bourblyan,” hurts her leg, and her role is received by Lyubov Onisimovna. And in addition, the count’s camarine earrings - a “flattering and nasty” gift - is the first sign of special honor to be raised in “odalisks” and delivered to the count half. Meanwhile, the "fatal and artificial business" creeps up to Arkady. A brother comes to the count from the village, even more terrible and overgrown. He calls all the barbers and orders them to cut themselves like a brother, threatening to kill anyone who cuts him. But the barbers reply that only Arkady can bring him into a noble appearance. To circumvent the rule of Count Kamensky, his brother calls Arkashka to himself, ostensibly in order to cut off the poodle. Arkady, despite the threat of pistols and being in the most gloomy mood due to the prepared Lyubov Onisimovna, the count’s brother is tonsured. And Lyubov Onisimovna promises to take her away. During the play, Kamensky is gracious that heralds a thunderstorm, and after the play, when Arkady comes to comb Lyubov Onisimovna’s head “in an innocent style, as depicted by Saint Cecilia”, six people are waiting at the door to take them to “torment” in secret cellars, which are summed up under the whole house. But Arkady grabs Lyubov Onisimovna, knocks out the window, and they run. But they pursue a chase, and the beloved agree that they agree to die if they can’t leave the chase. And they themselves go to the priest, who "desperate weddings" crowns. But even the pop is afraid of the count's fury and betrays them. The fugitives are driven back, and "the people where they meet, all part, - they think, maybe a wedding."

Upon arrival, Lyubov Onisimovna inquires about how much time they were alone. Arkady is tormented just under the "dead" Lyubov Onisimovna, who can not withstand this and falls without feelings. And she comes to herself in the calf yard, where she was sent on suspicion of insanity under the supervision of the old woman Drosida. Drosida is often applied to the “terrible plaque”, in which “poison for oblivion,” but Lyubov Onisimovna does not give it. She reports that Arkady gives the count to the soldiers, but because he was not afraid of the count’s pistols, he supplies him with a letter to serve in regimental sergeants and to be sent immediately to the war. Lyubov Onisimovna believes the story and for three years every night in a dream sees Arkady Ilyich fighting.

She is no longer being returned to the theater due to leg illness, and she is being made the same "goatman" as Drosida. Once, a stone wrapped in a piece of paper from Arkady gets into her window. He writes that he returned, received the officer’s rank and will take all the money that he has to the count asking for the ransom of Lyubov Onisimovna and hoping to get married with her. Love prays to God all night, because he is afraid that although Arkady is now an officer, the count will beat him again. And in the morning he learns that the innkeeper robbed and stabbed an officer at night. As soon as Lyubov Onisimovna hears this, then she immediately "breaks down." The governor himself comes to the funeral and calls Arkady "the bolyarin." And Lyubov Onisimovna for a long time is addicted to the “plaque”, and already in the memory of the author is attached to it at night. The author admits that he never saw a more terrible and tearing-up wake in his life.