Lieutenant Ryabovich was accustomed to the monotonous life of an officer, but he found another life—society—difficult: ritual conversations, cards, billiards, chance encounters with random women. One of these women kisses Ryabovich in the house of a provincial landowner, and now the officer’s thoughts are consumed by her half-imaginary image. Meanwhile, the frivolous Lieutenant Lobytko teases his gentle friend, unaware of the danger.