During a vacation with his mother Mathilde at Semmering, twelve-year-old Edgar meets a young baron. Happy about the newfound friendship, Edgar does not realize the baron's true intentions, which are solely focused on his mother. Mathilde reciprocates the interest. Disappointed, Edgar, unable to comprehend the "burning secret" between them, increasingly spirals into hatred for the baron. One evening, when Edgar is supposed to be grounded, he follows the couple and confronts the baron in a fit of rage.