The official Podkolesin is tired of his bachelor life, but at the same time he is afraid to disrupt his usual routine. His friend Kochkarev arranges a marriage between Podkolesin and the merchant's daughter Agafia Tikhonovna. It takes a lot of effort for Kochkarev to persuade his friend to go to his bride. But at the last moment, Podkolesin, frightened by the impending changes, runs away.
