Sitting in the train compartment, Yegor recalls his childhood and his friendship with Nastenka, the most cheerful and mischievous girl in the village. Yegor left to study, while Nastenka grew into a charming young woman, dropped out of school, and began working at a resort. The vacationers predicted a brilliant career as an artist for her, and Nastya forgot her childhood friend. The guests from the capital who had promised to bring her to Moscow also forgot about her.