Around 1860 in the Kempen region. Baas Gansendonck, the landlord of a village inn, feels far superior to the farmers and imagines himself to be of noble birth. His daughter Liza has always remained simple, but suddenly he finds her fiancΓ© Karel, the brewer's son, beneath her. Gansendonck tries to marry his daughter to the baron, but after a fight to save Liza's honor, Karel ends up in prison. Meanwhile, Liza wastes away with grief.