SophielovedEdmund,buthelefttownwhenherparentsforcedhertomarrywealthyOctavius.Yearslater,Edmundreturnswithhisson,William.Sophie’sdaughter,Marguerite,andWilliamfallinlove.Marguerite’ssister,Marianne,alsolovesWilliam.Timothy,alowlycarpenter,secretlylovesMarianne.Hekillsamaninafight,andfleestoNewZealand.Williamdesertsinadvertentlyfromthenavy,andalsofleesindisgracetoNewZealand,whereheandTimothystartaprofitablebusiness.Onenight,drunk,WilliamwritesOctavius,demandinghisdaughter’shand;but,beingdrunk,heasksforthewrongsister.
