Summary
From the grimy cobblestones of Parisian indigence emerges Ernestine Bergot, a sprite of the streets whose serendipitous encounter with a benevolent Latin Quarter student offers a fleeting glimpse of redemption. Adopted into an artist's world, her nascent innocence is swiftly eclipsed by the intoxicating allure of Justin Chevassat, another painter whose influence catalyses her metamorphosis. Ernestine sheds her former self, evolving into the formidable Sarah Brandon—a 'vampire' of society, hardened and calculating, whose beauty cloaks a rapacious soul. Her descent into depravity begins with the callous betrayal and fatal defenestration of her benefactor, a prelude to a life orchestrated by avarice. With Justin and the opportunistic Sir Thomas Elgin, who masquerades as her uncle, Sarah embarks on a criminal odyssey that leaves a trail of ruined lives across the city. Malgat, a susceptible banker's clerk, becomes an early casualty of her schemes. Her most audacious conquest, however, is the unsuspecting Count Ville Handry, ensnared through an elaborate ruse involving a feigned illness and Sarah's beguiling charm, culminating in a scandalous engagement. This union incites the fury of Henriette, the Count’s daughter, whose betrothed, the upright naval officer Daniel Champcey, exposes Sarah's notorious reputation. Despite warnings, the Count persists, dispatching Daniel to China and leaving Henriette vulnerable to Sarah’s machinations, isolated within her own home, her father's household turned against her. In a cruel twist of fate, Daniel entrusts Henriette to the perfidious Chavessat, who imprisons her in a house of ill repute, leveraging starvation to break her spirit. Yet, fate intervenes; Malgat, himself a victim of Sarah's machinations, discovers Henriette's plight within the same confines. His subsequent collaboration with Parisian authorities orchestrates Sarah's dramatic unmasking, precisely as the financially devastated Count Handry teeters on the brink of suicide. Daniel, recalled by Henriette's desperate plea, confronts Sarah alongside Malgat and the rescued Henriette. Cornered and exposed, Sarah Brandon chooses a vial of poison over capture, her dramatic demise coinciding with the arrest of her accomplices, Chavessat and Sir Thomas Elgin, as the curtain falls on her reign of malevolence.
Synopsis
Ernestine Bergot is a child of the Paris streets. One day she begs a few sous from a student of the Latin quarter. He becomes interested in her, takes her to his studio, and declares he will adopt her. Later she meets Justin Chevassat, another artist, and a mutual infatuation springs up. Gradually Ernestine becomes a beautiful "vampire," hardened to any crime. One day she shoves her benefactor out of the studio window after robbing him of a large sum of money. When he dies as a result of the fall, Ernestine and Justin leave the Latin quarter. To further their schemes they take into partnership Sir Thomas Elgin, who poses as Ernestine's uncle. The woman changes her name to Sarah Brandon her reckless adventures soon make her known as the most evil woman in the city. Malgat, a banker's clerk who has access to the funds, is her first victim. Sir Thomas Elgin, acting as Sarah Brandon's decoy, feigns illness one day while walking in Boise de Bologne and attracts the attention of Count Ville Handry, who assists the supposed sick man to Sarah Brandon's home, where the woman proceeds to practice her wiles upon the old nobleman. In the end Count Handry asks her to marry him, and their engagement is announced. The Count's daughter Henriette objects, especially when Daniel Champcey, her betrothed, a French naval officer, informs her of Sarah Brandon's reputation. The Count persists, Daniel is ordered to China, and Henriette is left alone in her father's home with the mistress of the house and all the servants (by Sarah's conniving) turned against the daughter. Before leaving Daniel has mistakenly entrusted Henriette to the "tender" mercies of Chavessat, tool of Sarah. When Henriette is no longer able to endure the humiliation she suffers in her father's home, she begs Chavessat to take her away to some quiet spot where she can live respectably until she can get word to Daniel in China. Chavessat's treachery imprisoned Henriette in a house of ill repute, where he threatens, by starvation, to compel the girl to submit to his will. In the same building where Henriette is confined lives Malgat, the banker's clerk Sarah ruined, and it is through his discovery of Henriette's identity and his further activities in association with the Parisian police that Sarah is finally exposed at the moment when Count Handry, ruined by her iniquity, is about to commit suicide. Daniel has hurriedly returned to Paris in response to Henriette's appeal, and with Malgat and the girl, faces Sarah Brandon in Count Handry's home. Rather than submit to arrest Sarah Brandon drinks from a vial of poison and falls dead, as the police lead away to prison Chavessat and her other accomplice, Sir Thomas Elgin.
