In which the proud and impecunious Mr. Adolphus Longestaffe seeks financial relief and social recognition from the wealthy Mr. Melmotte, only to find himself thwarted and forced into uneasy compromises that strain family relations. Meanwhile, the Longestaffe household bristles with discontent and apprehension as the prospect of hosting unwelcome guests and retreating to their country estate disrupts their accustomed, though precarious, way of life.