In turn-of-the-century Vienna, the highlight of the season is the ball given by Prince Orlofsky. Pista von Bundassy, the Prince's friend, plans to use the ball to get even with his friend, the attorney Dr. Eisenstein, for a trick Eisenstein played on Bundassy at a carnival to which Bundassy came disguised as a bat. Bundassy arranges for Eisenstein to attend the prince's ball as "Marquis Renard." Bundassy and Basil Arabayam, one of Eisenstein's clients, also plan to trick the prince into selling or giving away some of his oil-rich land in Russia. To do this, they have invited "Marquise Renard" to the ball, who to Eisenstein's annoyance, turns out to be his own maid, Adele. Eisenstein's suspicious wife, Rosalinde, also attends the ball, disguised as Sonja Kowarowska, a famous Russian dancer. Rosalinde is kept busy trying to keep an eye on her husband while warding off the advances of Prince Orlofsky. The intrigues and counter-intrigues turn what started out as a harmless prank into a scandal which threatens to wreck the Eisenstein marriage. The generous Prince Orlofsky cleverly straightens things out, thereby assuring a happy ending.