Sophie loved Edmund, but he left town when her parents forced her to marry wealthy Octavius. Years later, Edmund returns with his son, William. Sophie's daughter, Marguerite, and William fall in love. Marguerite's sister, Marianne, also loves William. Timothy, a lowly carpenter, secretly loves Marianne. He kills a man in a fight, and flees to New Zealand. William deserts inadvertently from the navy, and also flees in disgrace to New Zealand, where he and Timothy start a profitable business. One night, drunk, William writes Octavius, demanding his daughter's hand; but, being drunk, he asks for the wrong sister. 　　译文(2): 索菲爱着埃德蒙，但是当她的父母强迫她嫁给富有的奥克塔维厄斯时，他离开了小镇。几年后，埃德蒙带着他的儿子威廉回来了。苏菲的女儿玛格丽特和威廉坠入爱河。玛格丽特的妹妹玛丽安也爱着威廉。蒂莫西，一个卑微的木匠，暗恋着玛丽安。他在战斗中杀了一个人，然后逃到了新西兰。威廉在不经意间逃离了海军，也不光彩地逃到了新西兰，在那里他和蒂莫西开始了一项有利可图的生意。一天晚上，威廉喝醉了，写信给奥克塔维厄斯，要求和女儿牵手; 但是，喝醉了，他找错了妹妹。