Summary
From the grimy crucible of a tenement, Adele, a child imbued with romantic ideals, harbored an unyielding theatrical ambition. A chance encounter with Blanche, a former stage compatriot of her mother, unexpectedly catapulted Adele into the periphery of performance. Her trajectory soon intersected with Vincent Harvey, an emerging operatic composer whose creative wellspring found its muse in her, kindling a reciprocal, albeit fragile, romance. A precipitous fall from a fire escape, dramatically cushioned by an awning, became a grotesque stroke of fortune. Blanche, ever the opportunist, shrewdly reframed the incident as a suicide attempt by a desperate chorus girl, a fabrication that ignited a blaze of public notoriety for Adele. This manufactured fame brought an unlikely patron in John W. Horton, a broker whose offer of friendship would prove pivotal. Vincent, consumed by his magnum opus, enlisted Adele to present his opera to Horton, who, impressed by its fervent artistry, consented to its production. Yet, as Vincent's creative fervor reached its zenith, his emotional world contracted, eclipsing Adele entirely. A chilling revelation from Mary, Vincent's adopted cousin, laid bare his self-absorption, his heart pledged solely to his music. Adele's skepticism dissolved when a devastating fire erupted, and Vincent, in a harrowing testament to his singular devotion, prioritized his score over her safety. Meanwhile, Horton, poised for a distant expedition, was discreetly persuaded to return by Blanche, only to discover the conflagration engulfing Adele's home, a dramatic convergence of ambition, betrayal, and artistic monomania.
Synopsis
Adele was a child of romance. Even in the sordid tenement she felt a desire to go on the stage. Accidentally Adele and her mother met Blanche, who had been on the stage with Adele's mother, and it was through her that Adele received her first chance. Then she met Vincent Harvey, an embryonic opera composer who found inspiration in her and she in turn found romance. Adele was practicing kicking one morning very energetically. So much so that she kicked her slipper out of the window and it hit John W. Horton, a broker. Looking around, he became horrified. Adele had climbed out on to the fire escape, became dizzy and fell. An awning broke her fall. Blanche was the first one to her side. Learning that she was not hurt, Blanche made her lie still, while she turned to the crowd and told them that Adele was a poor chorus girl who tried to commit suicide. It wasn't long before Adele sprang into fame, as the incident brought her plenty of publicity and Horton told her that if she ever needed a friend to call on him. Vincent completed his opera and at his request, Adele took it to Horton and asked him to produce it. He gladly consented and it turned out to be a really good opera, for Vincent threw himself into it heart and soul. He forgot everything, even Adele. Mary, Vincent's Uncle's adopted daughter, came to see Adele and asked her to give up Vincent as he belonged to her, and who ever married him would have to be content with his disposition as he loved no one except his music and himself. Adele did not believe this until she found him wanting. Accidentally a fire started; Vincent remembered his opera was on Adele's table. Rushing in he paid no heed to her but snatched up his music. Horton, who decided to take a trip to the pole was about to leave when suddenly Blanche, unknown to Adele came and asked him not to go. Returning he found the house in flames.
