The Artistic Mind of E.H. Calvert: Decoding The Crimson Wing

Count Ludwig von Leun-Walram, a German army officer, meets Marguerite Clairon, an actress, while at a watering place on the border line of France. She falls in love with him and reveals her feelings. He rejects her in such a kindly way that she only loves him the more. Later, the count meets Marcelle de Lembach, daughter of a French general, whom he had known in childhood. He falls deeply in love with her. While he is still courting her, however, war breaks out between Germany and France and he is called back to his command. Marcelle is intensely patriotic and goes to the front with her father. She leads a troop of soldiers against a German scouting party when the officer is killed. She is captured by the count, who sends her safely back to the French lines. Paul D'Arblay, a spy, is one of the suitors of Mlle. Clairon, whom she hates. He swears that he will get her into his power. She joins the French army as a Red Cross nurse. On the battlefield she finds the count wounded and nurses him until he is almost recovered. She then arranges to send him back to his command. Arblay discovers this and threatens to denounce the count as a spy unless she yields to his wishes. She consents in order to save the count, promising to meet him at the home of her aunt nearby. He goes there that evening and finds her dead. She has kept her promise, but takes poison rather than submit to him. The count meets Marcelle after the war is over and they are betrothed.