Count Henri de Marsay, the natural son of Lord Dudley, is a fierce dandy, invested an unknown power which can bend anyone to his will: it is one of thirteen found in the Duchesse de Langeais, and Ferragus.The story begins when Marsay Paquita meeting the "girl with the golden eyes" during a walk. This mysterious creature of exceptional beauty draws the attention of Count who does everything to own. He launched an expedition with the help of Ferragus XXIII and the Marquis de Ronquerolles, hoping to remove the woman. The expedition is dangerous because Paquita is jealously guarded by the Marquise de San-Real, who is madly in love with her. Paquita is torn between his love for the Marquise and de Marsay. We discover at the end the reasons for the mysterious attraction between Marsay and Paquita.