In the squalid part of a town, three rogues force a girl to waylay passers-by so that they may rob them. After two uninteresting victims, there appears an astonishing Mandarin; his behaviour, now impassive, now excited, disconcerts the girl, who tries to escape, but he hotly pursues her. The three rogues intervene, rob the Mandarin and try to put him to death, first by strangling him, then by running him through with a sword, and finally by hanging him. But he survives all their attempts. It is only when the girl shows pity for him that his wounds will bleed and that he can at least die.