Overview

To dissuade his grandson from marrying an actress, the Bishop of St. Giles, relates to the boy the story of his own youthful romance. The scene fades from the present back to the New York of the earlier 1870's, when the Bishop, then the rector of St. Giles', met and loved Lina Cavallini, a young and beautiful opera singer. At the climax of his infatuation he discovers that she has a past and fights valiantly to save her soul. Realizing that happiness is not for them, Cavallini sails away to Europe. The effect upon grandson is to fix his determination to marry the actress.