Koningin Elisabeth's dochter

Summary

Berna and his wife Julia, both well-known stage personalities, lead a pleasant life together with their little daughter Gonda until the moment that Berna meets the young actress Jeane Bachiloupi. He falls madly in love with her and is encouraged by the beautiful woman to court her. In order to give his mistress everything she wants, Berna runs up great debts and shamelessly neglects his wife. Needing more money, he descends to stealing one of Julia's costly trinkets, is found out and sent to prison.

Julia Berna retires from the stage in order to devote her time to bringing up little Gonda. Some years later, the stage-manager Alex Dalfo begs Julia to appear once more in the play Queen Elisabeth's Daughter, in which in former days she had scored her greatest success. This follows Jeane Bachiloupi's appearance in Julia's rôle in the same play, a performance lambasted by the critics. Julia finally agrees to play the part on condition that Gonda may be with her in the theatre. On the night of the première, Gonda is left sleeping in her mother's dressing room while Julia goes onto the stage. Jeane, not content with having ruined Julia's marriage, is jealous of her popularity and, wanting to hurt Julia as much as possible, kidnaps Gonda.

The news of the child's disappearance is heard by Julia just before she is to begin the last act of the play. With a broken heart and superhuman exertion she plays her rôle as never before. Still, her suffering is soon over. Berna, recently released from prison and wanting nothing more to do with the wicked woman who caused his downfall, manages to rescue his daughter and takes her back to the anxious mother. In pursuit of Jeane he was seriously wounded and, shortly thereafter, he dies. When the carriage which the female demon was driving overturns, Jeane falls into the water and drowns.