Ursula leaves the convent where she was raised and moves in with her uncle, Count Ribera, and aunt Florentine. Upon her arrival, she is faced with a village conflict where Lambert, a young man from the village, accuses Count Ribera of sexually assaulting his sister, leading to her suicide. The two men engage in a duel to restore the count's honor, resulting in Lambert being badly injured. Ursula attends to Lambert's wounds and falls in love with him, not realizing he is secretly involved with her aunt. One night, the count discovers his wife's affair and another fight ensues, ending with Lambert killing the count. Ursula assists Lambert in his escape. Florence, driven by jealousy and anger towards Ursula, alerts the police to pursue Lambert.