Summary
The Lady in Ermine" unravels a harrowing tale of inherited burden and moral compromise set within the opulent, yet suffocating, confines of a noble castle. Here, a freshly wedded Countess finds her idyllic life shattered by the shadow of a family legend, embodied in a haunting portrait. This painting depicts her grandmother, a woman who sacrificed her honor to save her husband's life, only to be brutally murdered by him upon his return. When an imposing Austrian General occupies their ancestral home and develops a predatory infatuation with the Countess, her husband’s desperate attempt to escape leads to his capture and imminent execution. History threatens to repeat itself as the General presents the Countess with an identical, agonizing proposition, forcing her to confront the very same, soul-crushing choice that defined her ancestor's tragic fate, culminating in a chilling walk towards an uncertain destiny, cloaked only in ermine.
Synopsis
A newly-married couple, scions of local nobility, are living in a castle. There is a huge portrait of "The Lady in Ermine" hanging on a wall. The legend of the painting tells of the Countess' grandmother who gave her honor that the life of her husband might be spared. Upon his safe return, the husband killed his wife for her act. Soon, an Austrian general and his staff are occupying the castle, and the general becomes infatuated with the Countess. He questions the staff and learns of the legend. The Count tries to escape, is caught, and is about to be executed as a spy. The General makes the same proposition to the Countess that another general had made to her grandmother. The Countess is soon seen walking down the corridor to the General's room...clad only in an Ermine coat.
