简介：ThestoryopenswiththetownofGuellen(whichliterallymeans"tomanure")preparingforthearrivaloffamedmillionairessClaireZachanassian.Thetownisinastateofdisrepair,andtheresidentsaresufferingconsiderablehardshipandpoverty.TheyhopethatClaire,anativeofthesmalltown,willprovidethemwithmuch-neededfunds.AlfredIll,theownerofGuellen'sgeneralstoreandthemostpopularmanintown,wasClaire'sloverwhentheywereyoung,andagreeswiththeMayorthatthetaskofconvincinghertomakeadonationshouldfalltohim.AsthetowngathersattherailwaystationtoprepareforClaire'sarrival,theyaremetwithanunexpectedsurprisewhenClairestepsoffofanearliertrain,havingpulledtheemergencybrakesinordertodoso.Sheisgrand,grotesque,andfantastic,andisaccompaniedbytwohenchmen,herhusband,abutler,andtwoblindeunuchs,alongwithacoffin,acagedblackpanther,andvariouspiecesofluggage.ShebeginsaflirtatiousexchangewithIll,andtheypromptlyrevisittheiroldhaunts:Petersen'sBarnandKonrad'sVillageWood.Illpretendstofindherasdelightfulasever,thoughtheyarebothnowintheirsixtiesandsignificantlyoverweight.ClairedrawsIll'sattentiontoherprostheticlegandartificialhand.…