A Otto Reid de jove, el seu metge li va dir que no s'havia de casar, a causa d'una taca de bogeria que li havien transmès el seu pare i el seu avi. Independentment de l'avís s'ha casat, i en el moment de l'inici de l'obra té un fill, Hug...
Hugo Reid loves and is engaged to the fair Irene. Warned by his father that insanity runs in their family he chooses to break with her without sharing the reason why. Driven by his loneliness and despair, Hugo goes back to his former flame,...