When the father of the struggling painter Ernesto passes away, he is left in misery. The banker Julián, a friend of the deceased, intends to help Ernesto: he appoints him as his secretary and takes him to live in his house. There, Ernesto meets Teodora, Julián's wife. People gossip about a supposed love affair between Ernesto and Teodora, who go together, without Julián, to see the opera The Thieving Magpie at the Principal Theater.
A young musician and dreamy, called "Ernesto", is forced to live in Madrid to die his father, in the house of executor of the testament, "don Julio Villamil", who is married to actress Teresa Labisbal, of which "Ernesto Acedo" was enamored platonic. Although the conduct of the young is flawless, a third person causes slander which oblige "don Julio" to fight in mourning to death.
