Paris, under the reign of King Louis-Philippe. Jean, a rag-and-bone man, witnesses a murder. The victim begs him to adopt little girl Marie Didier. 20 years later, in 1846, she has grown into a beautiful young lady and works as a seamstress. One night, she is taken to a party where she is insulted by the nasty Baron Hoffmann because she was wearing the dress she had made for his daughter. Dashing Henri de Berville takes her defense.