Patience takes care of her aunties and lives humbly day to day. One day, a Dutch doctor, Julius, comes to their village for a short time to work on his book, and for a considerable salary she agrees to do housework for him. At first she finds Julius to be quite curt, but as time goes on, she finds that he's actually quite charming. Gradually, a love for him grows inside her. He also starts to unknowingly become attracted to her frankness and simple "rat" clothes...