text: Baron Ochs , having arranged with Sophie 's father Faninal to combine his noble rank with Faninal 's money by marrying Sophie , asks the Marschallin to suggest an appropriate young man to be his Knight of the Rose , who will present a silver rose to Sophie on his behalf as a traditional symbol of courtship .
simplified: The story continues in the large room of the house of Herr von Faninal , the father of Sophie whom Ochs wants to marry . Sophie is waiting for the silver rose to arrive ( the convention of the time says that her father must not be there ) .