A middle-aged pawnshop owner in Selmecbánya struggles to preserve the family business and cope with the absence of a male heir while raising two contrasting daughters: a dreamy, sentimental elder and a spirited, mischievous younger who acquires a local sobriquet. An episode in which a young academic brings his horse as collateral sparks a comic confrontation and reveals routine interactions at the pawnshop. Through domestic moments, market dealings, and student capers the story examines tradition, reputation, and tensions between conservative expectations and youthful independence.