Waclaw Gasiorowski

A Polish countess is dispatched by her country to become Napoleon Bonaparte's mistress at the urging of Polish leaders, who feel she might influence him to support Polish independence.

An exiled leader returns to Poland to lead an uprising against the Russian occupiers.

Grand Duke Konstanty marries Countess Joanna Grudzińska. However, Joanna still loves Major Łukasiński, and she agreed to the marriage out of a sense of patriotic duty. Łukasiński is arrested. The November Uprising breaks out. The conspirators capture Belweder Palace. Joanna hides Konstanty from them.