Philip Derblay, owner of the ironworks of Pont Avesnes, is a young and honest man, loved by his workers. He has been in love with the countess Claire de Beaulieu for a long time and his friend, the lawyer Bachelin, tries to help Philip to get closer to her. She demonstrates disinterest because she was promised to Gastone, a charming young man, who has just lost all his money playing cards. After he learns of the Beaulieus money problems, Gastone loses interest for Claire, who dicovers one day that Gastone will marry Athenais, the daughter of a rich family and former school friend of Claire, whom she had envied for her higher social standing. When Gastone talks to Claire, she announces that she plans to marry Philip Derblay. But after the first night of their marriage, Philip sees Claire's real feelings for him: she sacrified her life for the family, but she doesn't love the man she married. Philip is angry and decides that their marriage will have to look intact to the outside, but that they will live separately in reality. After a big discussion, Claire runs away and becomes ill with pneumonia, after spending the entire night outside in the cold. Philip takes care of her in a loving way and Claire has the opportunity to get to know her husband better. During a fox hunt, Gastone approaches Claire to tell her that he still loves her, but she replies that she is bound to her husband by strong emotions. Athenais wants to trap Philip and pushes Gastone and him to a duel. While both men are facing each other for the final fight, Claire arrives and protects her husband with her own body from a bullet. Luckily, the injury is not serious and Claire recovers soon to live a happy life with her husband.