The only person that Vanessa wants to marry is Benjamin and they are finally engaged. When a fire sweeps through her father's house, Benjie is able to save Vanessa, but he cannot save her already-dead father. Since Vanessa blames him for her father's death, they separate and Benjie marries Marion, the barmaid. After realizing that she was mistaken, Vanessa finds that he is married and she then reluctantly accepts the proposal of Ellis. However, Ellis is slowly going insane and Vanessa is not told. When her married life becomes intolerable, she tries to leave him, but she cannot divorce him as long as he is insane.
A pair of lookalikes, one a former French aristocrat and the other an alcoholic English lawyer, fall in love with the same woman amongst the turmoil of the French Revolution.
