In the year 1893, young Mairi Veber is pressured into an arranged marriage by her family. She has not even met her prospective husband, and feels nothing for him. But she soon falls in love with military physician Mihalis Mimikos. Her betrothed initially challenges Mimikos to a duel, but then changes his mind and breaks up with Mary. Mimikos soon has to leave Athens on a military assignment and writes to Mary to explain his absence. She never receives this letter, and figures that her lover has abandoned her. Mary commits suicide in despair.