: The poor girl comes from the province to Paris. After going through hardships and hardships, she finds her happiness in marriage with the wealthy owner of a large store.

After the death of his father Denise Baudoux with his brothers, sixteen-year-old Jean and five-year-old Pepo, he is left without a livelihood. They come to Paris to uncle, the textile merchant Mr. Baudet, and Denise, having the experience of a saleswoman, counts on the help promised to her. Their attention is attracted by the huge and luxurious store "Lady's Happiness."

Uncle can't help. “Lady’s happiness” ruins small shops, and trade is getting worse. He expects to give his daughter Genevieve a senior clerk Colomban, but the wedding is constantly postponed.

The manufacturer Gozhan persuades the assistant head of silk department "Ladies' Happiness" Robino to buy a fabric shop, offering a loan. Gozhan believes that large stores dictate prices and ruin the country's industry, so he supports small shops.

The old man Burra, who rents an umbrella shop near Ladies' Happiness, is horrified that the store owner wants to buy a room. But until the lease expires, he will not be able to use it.

Around "Lady's Happiness" there are many rumors. The owner of the store, a Jew, Octav Mouret, a handsome man and a womanizer, arrived in Paris, profitably married and became the owner of the store. His wife died in an accident. They say that it was Moore who killed his wife, and the store was built on her blood. Mr. Bodiu is gloatingly awaiting the ruin of Mouret - he spends too much money on advertising and expansion. Interested in the store, Denise, on the advice of Robino, decides to ask for a place as a clerk in the finished dress department.

Arriving at the store after a stormy night, Octav Mure set to work. His assistant Bourdoncle, admiring the new system of payment for workers, chuckles at the owner - there is a woman who will avenge everyone, but Moure is not afraid of retribution. He orders to sell new fabric cheaper than that of competitors - this will attract customers, and they will empty their wallets by buying other goods.

A woman is not able to resist cheapness and even buys what she does not need, if she is convinced that it is profitable.

Bourdoncle does not agree with the owner, but is silent. Mure carefully listens to the complaints of workers, which he immediately forgets.

In the store, Denise is met with ridicule: a plain, poorly dressed provincial woman causes contempt among Parisians. One of the sellers, Guten, smiles warmly at her, although she considers Denise a "goose." The girl is imbued with sympathy for him. Mure feels hidden charm and femininity in Denise, and her recommendations are excellent. To please the owner, Deniz is hired.

Mure's mistress, Madame Déforge, arranges a dinner for which he invites his former lover, a major banker, whom Moure is interested in meeting. At first, the banker does not want to give a loan, he considers the expansion of the store to be unpromising, but after seeing how the gathered ladies ask Mure about the goods, he agrees to the deal. Mure triumphs: he owns women and not one owns him!

Paris belongs to women, and women belong to us.

On the day of the big bazaar of winter novelties, Mure decorates the store with cheap oriental goods and lures shoppers. On this day, Denise sets to work. At first, she should work at a table and a small room in the attic of the store and receive interest from the sale. With this money, she expects to support Jean and pay for the boarding house where Pepe will live. She is not allowed to sell, shoppers are beaten off and ordered to clean things.

At first, the store is empty, but after lunch the number of customers increases.Mrs. Deforge and her friends meet Mouret in the department of the finished dress. Denise dresses for the mantle, and is taunted at her: she does not shine with a figure, she is dressed and combed ridiculously. Bourdoncle penetrates her dislike and calls it "Shredded." A saleswoman from the neighboring department, Polina, supports Denise, and a friendship begins between the girls, which must be hidden because of the enmity of the departments.

Mure helps out the largest amount for the entire existence of the store. Stung by Madame Deforge's ridicule, he makes remarks to Denise. Being amused with her, as with a beast, Mouret wants to see how she will develop and die in Paris.

For the sake of the brothers Deniz steadily endures all the hardships of work. Soon, a beautiful saleswoman opens in it, which leads everyone to indignation. Jean, who comes to Denise to ask for money, is mistaken for her lover and scoffed at the girl. Denise hardly pays for the maintenance of Pepe, walks in patched clothes and torn shoes, suffers from hunger and cold. Sympathetic Pauline invites her to have a lover, as the other saleswomen do, but Denise does not like it. She notices that Colomban is caring for Clara, a saleswoman from her department. Denise is not indifferent to Guten, who is interested only in tavern singers. Somehow she sees him in the company of singers, ranting about the availability of store saleswomen. The girl is recognized in love by Delosch, at the same time as the seller who joined the company. A timid and shy young man considers himself a failure and is ready to love Denise faithfully and faithfully as a dog, without requiring reciprocity.

Moore is surprised at the change that has occurred in Denise.

She was so prettier, of course, because she had a lover. At this thought, it seemed to him that his beloved bird, which he was amusing, painfully pecked him.

The dead season is coming, and mass layoffs begin in the store. Seeing Denise with Pepe, detractors decide that this is her child. Jean's adventures cause significant damage to Denise’s budget, and Robino finds her a side job. Bourdonkle becomes indignant - it is strictly forbidden for employees to spend energy on extra earnings. Moura stands up for the girl, because her contents are brothers.

Zhaak again demands money, but Denise refuses him: she is not able to pay his expenses and keep Pepe. She is accused of meeting with her lover during working hours and is fired. Robino is fired because of the intrigues of Guten, hoping to take his place. Mure, learning about Denise’s dismissal, becomes furious, but calms down, counting the daily revenue.

Denise moves to Burra, renting rooms to dubious persons. She cannot find any work, except for her day. Pepe now lives with her, as there is nothing to pay for the boarding house. Living in a quarter where you can have a lover and end a need, Denise cannot step over herself and is still thinking about Güthen.

Colomban asks Denise to bring him to Clara, but Denise is outraged that his feeling for a heartless, corrupt woman causes suffering to Genevieve.

Mouret wants to expand the store and offers Burra good money for the house, but he refuses to conclude an agreement with him. Hating the Lady’s Happiness, he dreams of ruining Moura. Robinos hires Deniz, who has invested all his wife’s money in a fabric shop. They pay her a little, but treat her like a family member. Between the Robino shop and Ladies' Happiness, a struggle begins. Robino advertises his goods and decorates a shop window, but Mouret sells the goods below cost, paying off expenses by other sales, and Robino loses. Denise believes that the future is in large stores, their prices are better for the buyer.

Mure buys a mansion located next to the Burra shop, and increases the amount of money for the old man’s room. Burra is trying to decorate the shop, but cannot compete.

Having met Denise, Mure apologizes to her for gossip and offers to return to his store.Denise tells the surprised Mura that she is on the side of the big shops and expresses some ideas. In front of Mure Denise turns into an exciting woman.

Mouret buys a house in Burra, and the old man rents a room from Mouret. Now Burra for no money will not break the lease. Mr. Bodiu also suffers losses, but does not give up. The wedding of Colomban and Genevieve is again postponed. Genevieve admits to Denise that he is dying, suffering from Columban's treason.

Having bought the entire block, Moure expands the store and builds a tunnel under the Burra shop. Mr. Bodiu is selling his country house, hoping to improve the situation on the proceeds. Things are getting worse with Robino, and Denise decides to return to Mura. Having learned about the connection between Mura and Clara, Denise tells Colomban about this, but the young man in love does not listen to her.

Mure dreams of a woman reigning in his store as at home. He opens new departments and a free buffet, gives gifts to children, introduces print ads, and invents new methods of trade. To Denise's surprise, she is greeted respectfully. Mure does not stop giving the girl signs of attention. Bourdoncle jokes at the master, but he says that the woman who will take possession of him has not yet been born.

Ms. Deforge learns that Moure has a relationship with a saleswoman from the finished dress department. Her suspicions fall on Denise, and she comes to the store. Mocking the girl, Mrs. Deforge demands that she carry her purchases, and the purchased coat will bring her home.

Mure appoints Denise assistant department head. Guessing that the owner is not indifferent to her, she herself feels that he is not indifferent to her. Now Denise occupies a good room in the hostel of the store and is no longer constrained by the means. Mure invites her to dinner. Denise knows what should happen after him. She loves Mura, but cannot accept such an invitation. Mure confesses Denise love, promises help to the brothers, but Denise refuses with dignity. Upon learning of this, Guten shows disdain for Denise, and she becomes ashamed of her recent feeling for him.

Waiting for Denise, Madame Deforge gathers friends for tea and invites Moura. She knows that after Deniza’s refusal, Mure got married with Clara, and spends nights in revelry. Jealous Mrs. Deforge decides to take revenge. She scolds the products of "Lady's Happiness", gossips about the venality of the saleswomen, and puts Denise on a laughing stock. Unable to stand, Mure reassures the girl, and Madame Deforge declares that he loves Denise. Ms. Deforge decides with the help of a banker to open a store that will eclipse Lady's Happiness.

Suffering Moore is no longer interested in the store, he only thinks about Denise. Why would he need all this wealth if Denise answers “no”? Bourdoncle dissolves gossip about Denise's love affair with Guten and Delos. Gossip reaches Moore, and he reproaches Denise for immorality. Driven to despair, he is ready to kneel before her. Denise, suffering from love, admits that she is in love, but does not say that he is in him.

The idea of ​​becoming his mistress inspired horror in her, that crazy horror that engulfs a woman as the male approaches.

Moure makes Denise the head of the new department. He often talks with her, listening to her ideas that Robino rejected. Under her influence, working conditions improve, even Bourdonkl and Güthen do not dare to harm her. Suffering more and more, Mouret begins to think about marriage.

“Lady’s happiness” killed Uncle Deniza, Genevieve dies of consumption. Ruined shopkeepers come to the funeral. In the person of Genevieve, they bury the entire quarter - the methods of new trade won. Mure proves to Denise that ruin was inevitable, he offered Burra a large sum, but he persisted. Denise persuades Moura to pay compensation to Uncle and Burr. Uncle's wife dies of grief. House Burra collapses, and he leaves, not wanting to accept help. Mr. Bodiu prefers to live in an almshouse. Trying to commit suicide, Robino breaks his legs.

Exhausted Denise decides to leave the store and leave for a month with the newly married Jean to rest. Mure tries to persuade her to stay, but imagining that she is going to her lover, she lets go. Seeing the owner in tears, Bourdonclus sympathizes with him.

The day of the next opening in Lady's Happiness comes. A few weeks ago, a fire broke out in Ms. Deforge's new store, and now everyone is curious about what Moura will do. Buyers are again overwhelmed by the choice of products and the beauty of shop windows. Unable to stand, Mrs. Deforge arrives with her friends. One of them, covered by spending, is caught stealing. Mure again conquered women.

The cashier brings in the proceeds - a million, the amount of which Mure had dreamed for so long! He uses the last resort: offers Denise to marry him. Denise in horror refuses, she does not want to force her husband to support her brothers, although Mure agrees to consider them his own. Mure in despair lets her go to the one she loves. Unable to stand, Denise rushes into his arms and confesses his love. Forgetting the million, the happy Mure tells Denise that he will come to her and she will return with her sovereign mistress.