In 1882, Colonel St. Arnaud traveled to the Harz Mountains with his wife Cecile to forget a duel that had fatal consequences and forced St. Arnaud to resign from the army. Cecile was the catalyst for this duel. During their stay at the spa, the couple meets the young officer von Gordon. Cecile and Gordon develop feelings for each other, which Arnaud supports with mocking arrogance. Gordon is called away at short notice. The romance is over. In Berlin, however, Gordon seeks out Cecile again. They see each other more and more often until Cecile, panicked by Gordon's possessiveness and her own feelings, breaks up with him. In a fit of jealousy, Gordon compromises Cecile in public. Arnaud challenges him to a duel and kills him. Cecile commits suicide. Arnaud's message, asking her to forget the unfortunate incident on a trip together, no longer reaches her.

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