Aels,arichandtempermentalwomanfromtheNorth,movestoHamburg.Shelivesinamansoinbesidesthenewlymarriedcouple,AlrechtandOctavia.ThefriendshipbetweenAelsandAlbrechtdoesnotdisturbtheharmonyofthismarriage.Butsoon,Aelshasareoccurrenceofatropicaldisease,andbecausesheisconfinedtobed,Albrechtridesbyeachdayonhishorsetoherwindowandinquiresastoherhealth.When,eventually,hegetssickwithanepidemic,hiswifetakesoverthisdearserviceandgreetsAelsinherridingclothes,pretendingtobeAlbrechtandcomfortingthesickwoman,soastonotworryheraboutAlbrechtalsobeingsick.Aels,however,isnotcompletelyfooledandendsupdyingofabrokenheart.Itturnsout,shecannotlivewithoutAlbrecht’slove-somethingAlbrechtonlyfindsaboutfromherlastlettertohimbeforeherdeath.