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Philip Derblay, owner of the ironworks
of Pont Avesnes, is a young and honest
man, loved by his workers. He has
been in love with the countess Claire
de Beaulieu for a long time and his
friend, the lawyer Bachelin, tries
to help Philip to get closer to her.
She demonstrates disinterest because
she was promised to Gastone, a charming
young man, who has just lost all his
money playing cards. After he learns
of the Beaulieus money problems, Gastone
loses interest for Claire, who dicovers
one day that Gastone will marry Athenais,
the daughter of a rich family and
former school friend of Claire, whom
she had envied for her higher social
standing. When Gastone talks to Claire,
she announces that she plans to marry
Philip Derblay. But after the first
night of their marriage, Philip sees
Claire's real feelings for him: she
sacrified her life for the family,
but she doesn't love the man she married.
Philip is angry and decides that their
marriage will have to look intact
to the outside, but that they will
live separately in reality. After
a big discussion, Claire runs away
and becomes ill with pneumonia, after
spending the entire night outside
in the cold. Philip takes care of
her in a loving way and Claire has
the opportunity to get to know her
husband better. During a fox hunt,
Gastone approaches Claire to tell
her that he still loves her, but she
replies that she is bound to her husband
by strong emotions. Athenais wants
to trap Philip and pushes Gastone
and him to a duel. While both men
are facing each other for the final
fight, Claire arrives and protects
her husband with her own body from
a bullet. Luckily, the injury is not
serious and Claire recovers soon to
live a happy life with her husband.
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