Love and Honour in a Time of Change

Relates a story of passion and betrayal during the French Revolution. Jean, a young Swiss officer, becomes engaged to Laure from an ancient noble family. Before they can marry, Jean needs to restore his honour. Arriving in Paris, commissioned in the Kings Swiss Guards, he finds a revolutionary uprising pending.

The evening before joining the defence of the royal palace, he is seduced by a gaming house tout, Thrése. The Swiss Guards are destroyed. Jean becomes a fugitive. Escaping arrest, he seeks refuge with Thrése. They become lovers.

Jean finds comrade officers. He revenges one of them during the September massacres. Thrése is sent to a notorious female prison. It is sacked. Jean fears she has betrayed him to save her life.

Forced to join the Revolutionary army opposing royalist invasion, he deserts to deliver important documents to the Kings plenipotentiary in Verdun. Hunted, he is befriended by an English general serving revolutionary France. When the invaders retreat, Jean continues to Verdun.

On the way he is arrested for spying by a royalist detachment. Reluctantly, he names his fiancée's father to vouchsafe him. Astonished to find Laure also in Verdun, he agonises over whether to confess his betrayal. Before he can do so, he discovers Thrése has followed him.

Jean cannot decide where his loyalty resides. He tells Laure he will renounce them both. Laure's brother challenges him. The duel is interrupted by a revolutionary patrol, Jean left for dead. Chance enables Thrése to rescue him. She nurses him back to health, and Jean tries to overcome his jealous fears.

Accompanying the advancing republican army, he sees his betrothed's family coach. Her father and mother killed by French peasants, and Laure mortally wounded. They reconcile and she dies in his arms.