More than a storyline with a beginning, middle, and end, this tale of a foundry worker who engages a woman -- and fellow worker -- to do housekeeping for him is a tale that holds up the Hungarian social system against the morality of an exploitative male-female relationship. After his wife dies, the rough-cut and intentionally nameless "man" (Jozsef Madaras) eventually coerces the "woman" (Julianna Nyako) into doing his housework for a small remuneration. Everything goes along passably well for awhile, until the man adds in more household responsibility in the form of chickens to raise. Due to extra work at the factory, the woman cannot tend to the chickens as she should and the result is that some of them die. The man is furious, verbally abuses her, and then rapes her. Later, the woman discovers she is pregnant, with dire consequences. Throughout the story, the lack of any real identity for the "man" or "woman," as well as other subtle references to the Hungarian state add a political dimension that gives greater meaning to the story.

1848到1849年间匈牙利反对奥地利占领者的革命失败了，1849年10月6日反对者投降。骑兵少尉费伦茨·毛依拉特被俄国皇家军队包围，当了俘虏，他只好以普通士兵的身份参加奥地利军队。他叔叔是皇家卫队高级军官，两年后，由于叔叔的帮助，费伦茨回家了。他对周围的环境和发生的事情失望。几个月后，一天夜里，他从前的上级一位上校突然来拜访。上校是自由战争领导人洛约·科什舒特的代表。洛约没有死，一直在匈牙利组织起义。费伦茨和妻子十分激动，失去的幻想和热忱恢复了。上校吸收他参加起义部队。第二天清晨，上校消失。一会儿，警察把费伦茨全家扣押。叔叔再次为他说情，使他全家获释。叔叔把费伦茨全家接到宫中，费伦茨无可奈何地开始了一条痛苦的道路。