The book (and subsequent books) tells about the second investigation of the gendarme Lieutenant Polyansky. Fate brings Lieutenant of the Gendarmerie Polyansky with the proprietress of the brothel Madame Libouche. He is doing the lady a favor at the insistence of Colonel Euler. After that, the lieutenant hoped that fate would no longer bring him to Madame Libouche.
Meanwhile, Madame Libouche hatches plans for revenge, according to which she intends to destroy one of the richest families. She meets a certain Dmitry Bersenyev. The young man falls passionately in love with Sylvia Libouche. The woman intends to use the gullible young man in love for her insidious purposes. So what is the femme fatale up to?