On the indebted estate, Gyldenstrup, lives a spoiled and selfish lady, Mrs. Selstrup, with her two spoiled and selfish children, Ellen and Joachim. Her husband has recently died, and the widow completely forgets her grief when lawyer Hansen confides in her that they are in fact very poor. Spoiled and selfish as she is, it seems to her like a disaster that she and her two hopeful offspring may end up living in poorer conditions.