Germain Baert

Karel is in love with Liza, the only daughter of Baas Ganzendonck. Ganzendonck is a snob who dreams of luxury and nobility. Although he is a farmer himself, he wants to separate himself from the simple country folk, unless they show him the admiration he believes he deserves. He sent Liza to a French boarding school, but she has always remained humble. Ganzendonck blunders again and again, and although he does not understand a word of French, he can listen for hours to the French-speaking son of the baron. The baron’s son finds Liza’s presence an amusing distraction. The jealous Karel gets into a fight with the baron’s son and injures him severely. The police throw Karel into prison, and Liza, whose health was not very strong, dies of grief shortly thereafter

Walter, the son of a shipowner, tries to seduce Rika, engaged to the rough fisherman Wan. When Wan sees Walter kiss her, he leaves in anger, only to be caught in a storm at sea. Believed dead, Rika refuses Walter’s proposal. Wan is rescued by Icelandic fishermen and returns months later to marry Rika. Later, the shipowner schemes to commit insurance fraud, but Wan is killed trying to stop a fire. Grief drives Rika mad, until a new storm strands Walter on the shore. Rika revives him with a kiss, healing herself, and a new romance begins between them.