This story involves two political factions, one of which is led by the Duchess Charlotte. She is greatly beloved by Count Hubert, one of the constituents of her party. Marco Flamma, also a young enthusiast of the cause, while publicly addressing a street crowd, is arrested. Shortly afterwards, Flamma is placed on trial and among sympathetic spectators the Duchess is found conspicuously interested in his case. As Flamma makes his impassioned plea from his cell inside the court room, Charlotte becomes so enraptured with his speech and personality that she falls in love with him and determines to secure his release. In this she is successful and later requests him by letter to call upon her. Marco compiles and, during his visit, she proclaims her love for him and is very demonstrative in her explanation. He resents her advances, whereupon she dismisses him from the house. In the meantime the Dnchess scorns Hubert’s love. Through a clever ruse she obtains a letter from Hubert showing Flamma had sworn to put to death the Prime Minister. Immediately the Duchess enlists the services of one of her male attendants, who, about the hour when the murder is to take place, approaches Flamma from behind, and kidnapping him, brings him to the palace of the Duchess, where he is confronted with the Duchess and Luciana, his charming fiancée. The story ends by the Duchess committing suicide with the dagger with which Marco Flamma had intended to put to death the Prime Minister and the uniting of the hands of Marco Flamma and Luciana,