Oorlog en vrede 1916

Summary

Mario Laurent has been sentenced to three years' penal servitude for his attempt to kill Gaston de Roqueville. While in prison he has made a discovery, a new and very powerful explosive that, because of the war situation, could be of great importance to his fatherland. However, the prison superintendent has no faith in Mario or his invention. Mario manages to send a letter to his former fiancée, Anny Godard, begging her to visit his unhappy mother and telling her about his invention. Anny helps Mario to escape from prison and she is even able to get a position for him in the steel-works now managed by Gaston who, in the meantime, has married Mario's sister, the well-known actress Ninette Laurent.

One of Mario's friends, Charles, knows about the invention and tells his former employer, the banker Sorga, about it, not knowing that Sorga is spying for the enemy. As the company's banker, Sorga knows that Gaston's financial situation is far from favourable. He is able to induce Gaston to betray his country by offering to sell the invention to the enemy. However, before this happens, both of them pay for their treachery when they are killed in an explosion in the factory. Mario and Anny, entirely innocent, are suspected of having caused the accident. Charles regrets having told Sorga about Mario's secret. He goes to Ninette, who knows the truth, and begs her to save Mario and Anny. At first she refuses because of her association with Sorga, but later she agrees to help her brother by going to the authorities with documents showing what her late husband had intended doing. To be continued next week ...