In 1824, a dazzlingly handsome young man appeared arm in arm with a lovely lady at an opera ball. To everyone's amazement, Lucien Chardin somehow managed to get out of the mud, and the king, by his decree, returned to him the name of his ancestors from his mother. The young man easily puts in place the old enemies - Baron Sixtus du Chatelet and the Marquis d’Espar. However, he lacks the spirit to besiege his former fellow journalists, and it is they who recognize in his companion a public girl nicknamed Thorpilus - this beautiful Jewess is famous for the most refined profligacy. Lucien takes Esther home half-dead, and a short, fat man in a mask, relentlessly escorting his lovers, orders Rastignac to intercede for Count de Roubampre - having recognized this man's terrible look, Eugene is numb with horror. Distraught with grief, Esther makes an attempt to poison herself with carbon monoxide, but she is saved by an unfamiliar priest who explains to her that she almost ruined Lucien's career - the light will not forgive him the second Coral. Esther has only one option - to become an honest woman. The unfortunate courtesan agrees to everything: she is placed in a monastery boarding house, where she is baptized and renounces the past. But she is unable to forget Lucien and begins to languish. Abbot Carlos Herrera again brings her back to life, making it a condition that she will live with Lucien in complete secret from everyone.

In May 1825, lovers find each other in an apartment rented for them by the Spanish canon. However, Lucien already knows who is hiding under the robe of the false priest - however, a young man, intoxicated by successes in the world and accustomed to luxury, does not find the strength to break with the patron who guides him with an iron hand, protecting him from past mistakes. The abbot surrounds Esther with his trusted people: Copper-faced Asia will be engaged in cooking, pretty Europe will act as a maid, and Pakkar, a lover, will accompany the hostess on walks. The idyll on Tetbu Street lasts four years. During this time, Lucien's position was strengthened so much that in the world they started talking about his marriage to the daughter of the Duke de Granlier. The favors of the young handsome man are harassed by the most distinguished ladies: the Countess de Serisi, who won this honor in the battle with the Duchess de Monfrignez, becomes his grand lover.

One fine night of August 1829, Baron de Nusingen dozing off in a carriage meets a wonderful vision in a forest of Vincennes - a woman of unearthly beauty. The banker falls in love for the first time in his life: he is trying to find his "angel" with the help of the police, but in vain - the stranger has disappeared without a trace. The stock-market predator is losing weight in front of his eyes, and anxious friends at home convene a council: a person like Baron de Nusingen does not have the right to suddenly die - this is fraught with major trouble. Describing his beauty, the banker notices Lucien's smile and decides to let the most skilled police agents - Kontanoon and Perada at him. For both detectives, the matter seems to be profitable and safe - they do not suspect that behind the young de Ruebampre is the famous Jacques Collen, treasurer of the three penal servants. Abbot Herrera wants to sell Esther to Nusingen, and the faint-hearted Lucien agrees - Clotilde de Granlier will be given for him only if he buys a property worth a million. A beautiful Englishwoman is slipped to a banker to discourage contacting the police, and then Esther is shown from afar. Asia, transformed into a mix, promises to bring Nushingen to its "subject" - let the rich man only fork out. Meanwhile, Carlos writes three hundred thousand francs in Esther’s name and announces to his lovers that they are parting forever — for the sake of Lucien, Esther must again turn into Thorpeille.

Carlos begins the game with Nusingen, having all the trump cards in his hands: the banker pays Asia for pandering, and Europe - for being brought into the house. Seeing Esther, Nussingen completely loses his head: when bailiffs burst into the courtesan, he meekly puts out three hundred thousand at the expense of her "debt." A gang receives half a million in just one week - meanwhile, the banker has not even touched his "goddess." He promises her mountains of gold - and she mentally vows to die on the very day when she will have to change Lucien. The wounded detectives are closely watching the development of events: their vanity is hurt, and old Perad was also deceived in his expectations - he got involved in a scam only for the sake of Lydia’s daughter, hoping to get her a dowry. Perada's student and friend, the omnipotent and ominous Koranten, the genius of a police detective, is connected to the investigation. He manages to find a weak spot in the ingenious plan of Carlos - Lucien, having bought the estate, tells everyone that his sister-in-law gave him money. Perad, posing as a wealthy Englishman, takes on one of Esther's girlfriends for maintenance: along with Konsanson, who took the form of a mulatto servant, they are very close to the gang.

Meanwhile, the duke de Granlier, having received an anonymous letter about Lucien's sources of income, refuses the young man from the house. Enraged, Carlos orders the abduction of Perad's daughter - if in ten days Lucien does not marry Clotilde de Granlier, Lydia will be dishonored, and Perad himself killed. The old man in desperation rushes to Koranten: they got in touch with too dangerous people, and you need to temporarily retreat. However, it is no longer possible to reverse: Corantin and solicitor Derville went to Angouleme - there they quickly find out that the Seshars, although they live in abundance, do not have a million fortune. The Korantin returns to Paris when Perad dies of poison - before his death, they returned to him his daughter, who was tormented and damaged in her mind. Corantin swears revenge on both the abbot and Lucien - both of them will end their days on the scaffold.

In the meantime, Esther finally succumbs to Nusingen’s entreaties, and the happy banker gives her thirty thousand rent - immediately selling the securities for seven hundred fifty thousand, she leaves them to Lucien and takes the poison. Seeing the dead mistress the next morning, Europe and Pakkar are hiding with money. Suspecting Nussingen, he calls the police. Along the way, it turns out that Esther is monstrously wealthy - she is the only heiress to the recently deceased loan shark Hobsek. Carlos, who remained calm and at the time of the crash, writes a fake testament - before her death, Esther allegedly refused her fortune to Lucien. Then the abbot tries to escape, but Kontanson blocks him the way - Jacques Collen, having thrown the detective from the roof, orders Asia to give him such a drug to be mistaken for a dying man. The insensitive Spaniard is taken to prison. Frightened to death, Lucien is taken into custody on the road, where his last meeting with Clotilde, who is leaving for Italy, takes place.

The arrest of Lucien de Roubampre causes a stir - this young man occupied a prominent position in society, and the reputation of several noble ladies depends on the outcome of the case. Investigator Camuso is at a crossroads: on the one hand, the influential Marquise d'Espard puts pressure on him, demanding a severe punishment for the stupid young man, on the other hand, the prosecutor de Granville, a close friend of the Count and Countess de Serisi, transparently hints that there is no particular zeal follows. The accusation itself looks very precarious: in Esther’s boudoir they find a farewell letter to Lucien, from which it is clear that the girl really committed suicide, as for the money that disappeared, then why should the heir steal from himself? In fact, it all depends on Carlos Herrera: if this is a Spanish diplomat, then there was a regrettable mistake, if a fugitive convict, Lucien, is guilty, at least in association with the criminal. Carlos is called first: the false Spaniard leads his party flawlessly, and Lucien is actually saved. But Camuso, yielding to temptation, decides to interrogate the young man, and he instantly betrays his benefactor - yes, he fell into the clutches of the vile convict who entangled him with his nets. Camuso lets him read the minutes of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation - only then Lucien realizes that he destroyed everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he draws up a statement refusing testimony and writes a will, and in a message addressed to the abbot, he says goodbye to him, calling him “the magnificent statue of Evil and vice.” When Countess de Serisi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it's over - Lucien hangs on his own tie, as his coat would hang.

Upon learning of Lucien's suicide, the iron Carlos falls into complete prostration - he loved the weak-willed poet, as his own son. Meanwhile, for Camuso, clearly overstepped, it is extremely important to prove that the abbot Herrera and Jacques Collen, nicknamed the Deception of Death, are one person. Sensing danger, the convict again becomes himself: he quickly leads into obedience to his former comrades and rescues Theodore Calvi sentenced to death for the murder - this young Corsican was his favorite until Lucien appeared. Thinking of surrendering to the authorities, Obmani-Death wants to take the post of chief of the secret police, and the circumstances are favorable to him - he has stored gentle messages from his beloved Lucien, which can cause a scandal. With the help of one of these letters, this “convict Machiavelli” heals Countess de Serisi, who was on the verge of insanity, - she believed, Lucien really loved only her. Carlos promises the prosecutor to solve several crimes that were too tough for justice, and at the same time he puts things in order: his aunt Jacqueline, who shone in the role of Asia, finds Europe and Pakkar shaking with fear - they have long repented of their momentary weakness and prayed to the leader for mercy. Carlos forgives them: he needs loyal people to deal with Coranten - the true culprit of the death of Lucien. A tough fight is coming, but hatred helps to live. After serving in the secret police for a decade and a half, Jacques Collin retired in 1845.