A rainy evening in the harbor of Antwerp. A man named Laarmans is on his way home even though he doesn't want to. Three lost Eastern sailors are looking for a woman named Maria Van Dam and ask Laermans to show them the way. He decides to help them find this mysterious woman.
A miserable man owns a secondhand store. He is mean to his customers and to his assistant. One day, a boy and a girl come into the shop to sell a golden watch they are very fond of.
