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Every Thursday, the clockmaker Torquemada adjusts the municipal clocks in the city and at this time his wife Concepción receives her lover Gonzalve. This Thursday, however, Concepción’s plans are thrown into disarray when the strong but somewhat simple mule driver Ramiro comes to Torquemada’s shop to have his watch repaired. He is asked to wait for Torquemada’s return. Concepción is therefore forced to have Ramiro bring up a Spanish grandfather clock so that she can be alone with the poet Gonzalve. However, he does not act, so Concepción has to hide him from Ramiro in a second Spanish grandfather clock. When Ramiro returns to the store, the wealthy, portly banker Don Inigo Gomez has already presented himself to seduce Concepción. As she directs Ramiro to her bedroom with the clock with Gonzalve in it, she sends Don Inigo away. He, on the other hand, hides in the remaining grandfather clock. Dissatisfied, Concepción returns from the bedroom, sees that Don Inigo is hiding in the clock and asks Ramiro again to change the clocks. But the banker cannot meet her demands and, disappointed in both men, she invites Ramiro to go upstairs with her. When Torquemada returns, he finds his wife’s suitors at the two Spanish bells. They claim to only check the timepieces, so Torquemada seizes the opportunity to sell them the clocks. However, Don Inigo is still trapped in the clock, so that ultimately the strong Ramiro has to be involved to free the fat banker. Finally, they jointly address the audience to briefly express morality in a cynical manner.
