 A small picturesque town at the turn of the century. The traditional morals of the townspeople are shaken when they find out that the school teacher Franzén published his poetry anonymously many years ago. At the same time he acknowledges his love affair with a waitress at the city hotel, Fanny. What is most upsetting is the fact that Fanny has a grownup daughter, Anna, with no known father. Could their poet teacher be the father although they are not married?