After the death of his parents, young William Crimsworth goes to Brussels and takes a position as a teacher at the girls' school run by Mademoiselle Reuter. Although she is older than him, he becomes infatuated and imagines a future together with her. Until he overhears a conversation revealing her engagement to another man. Disillusioned, William turns away from her. However, when he later falls in love with the young teacher Frances Henri, it stirs the resentment of Mlle Reuter, who, feeling hurt, tries to drive a wedge between the young couple.