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First feature length French film adaptation of the story of former convict Jean Valjean who is hunted down by ruthless inspector Javert in mid 19th century France. Released in four parts, like a serial.

Little Gerta, when her mother dies. is brought to her father, Carl Von Seydling, a government official, who deserted his wife and child a few years before. Councilor Van Seydling found the child's presence in his household to be cumbersome and for that reason turned her over to one Sarah Anderson, a nurse. Although Van Seydling did not know it, the Anderson woman was a notorious fagin. She promptly sold Gerta to a beggar, who taught her to beg and to steal. One of her begging trips brings Gerta to the attention of a young man named Alm Stoddard, He becomes interested in the pretty child and upon learning her story is horrified. The police are notified. They arrest her supposed father, but Sarah Anderson escapes. Little Gerta is adopted by Alm's mother and grows to be a beautiful young woman. Alm falls in love with her, but Gerta has lost her heart to the dashing Lieutenant Wiles. Through Alm's efforts the character of this man is shown to Gerta, and thus she is warned in time. Lieutenant Wiles challenges Alm to a duel and in the encounter Alm is wounded slightly. Gerta, frightened by the trouble she has caused, disappears, leaving a note begging the Stoddards to forgive her seeming ingratitude. Some years later a grand opera star, Mlle. Hauser, has taken the public by storm. Among her admirers is Alm Stoddard, although he is too fainthearted to write to her or tell her that he knows her to be little Gerta. She, from behind the footlights, has recognized him but, fearing he has not forgiven her, makes no sign of recognition. Another man, in constant attendance at the opera, is Councilor Van Seydling, who has long since believed his daughter dead. By a strange coincidence Sarah Anderson is employed as Gerta's maid. She has not reformed any and when she steals Mlle, Hauser's handbag she extracts a picture of a very little girl. Looking at the picture Sarah suddenly realizes that Mlle. Hauser is none other than little Gerta. That evening the audience is assembled when a fire breaks out. In the panic that follows Alm is the only one who remembers Gerta. At the risk of his life he brings the unconscious girl out of danger. At the corner drug store Sarah Anderson, mortally injured, is dying. She bares the story of her life and among the listeners is Councilor Von Seydling. The memory of his misdeeds strikes terror to his heart. Van Seydling hurries out and, finding his daughter in the arms of Alm, begs her to forgive him. The girl is mystified, but a little explaining clears the situation. Following custom, Alm asks her father for her hand. Von Seydling asks Gerta to decide and she, clinging to Alm, smiles her contentment.

The Archduke Rodolphe d'Illyrie is secretly united to Countess Sarah Mac Gregor and they have a daughter together. The young woman learns that her father-in-law is potting to have the marriage annulled so she writes her brother to ask him to get rid of the old man. When her letter is intercepted, she leaves her child in the care of farmers near Paris and escapes to America. The Archduke finds the whereabouts of his daughter but he finds the house has been destroyed by a criminal fire and figures that she died. He sets out to find his daughter's murderers and meets the evil Schoolmaster and his friend la Chouette. They actually hide the child, that they call Fleur de Marie, and force her to beg for their profit.

Hans Ghynt, a Dutch farmer of Holland, is a widower whose small family consists only of his mother, his son Jan and himself. He falls in love with a new neighbor, a Swiss widow by the name of Minna, living with her little daughter, Katrina, and who, though beautiful and good, is slandered and disliked by the neighbors simply because she is a stranger and foreigner. By reason of this uncalled-for prejudice Hans' relatives oppose the match with vigor. Minna, seeing this, asks Hans to release her from the engagement, but he refuses, being angered by the folly of his people. The wedding takes place and Hans' mother leaves his house in anger, while Jan enlists in the army for six years' service in the colonies. Hans finds Minna a good and loving wife and Katrina a good step-daughter and is happy. Six years later his mother, repenting of her folly, tries to get her son to permit her to return to his house, but he refuses either to forgive or receive her. Meanwhile Katrina has grown to womanhood and Jan returning home from the army comes to love her and is loved in return. In the light of their love the old mother is forgiven and the family is united once more.

Bernard Jansoulet, a fine specimen of the sons of Vulcan, kept the little farmstead of the Jansoulets by means of the profits from his smithy. His aged mother, a dear old lady, and a good-for-nothing brother, Louis, were the other members of the household. One day as Bernard passed along the little village, he saw poor, wayward Louis being exhorted to join a bibulous crowd at the inn. Bernard, himself of a temperate disposition, at once interposed, and soon led his brother towards home. There a good meal, served in true French farmhouse style, soon mollified the erring Louis, and during a chat there came the postman on his usual round. The missive, in an unusual writing, proved to be a letter saying that a friend had secured a situation in Paris for Louis. The answer was sent, and a few days later preparations were made for Louis' departure this, however, Bernard, in his usual quiet manner, negotiated a loan of 200 francs from a neighbor, and as Louis was on the point of going pressed upon him the little fortune to help him along his way. Full of seeming gratitude and with the kisses of his sorrowing mother still fresh upon his lips, Louis departed, with a promise to redeem the past in a new life. Life in Paris proved a vastly different thing to what Louis had expected ; but having succeeded to some extent by dint of resolution, he soon found time to look around and visit the many show places of the "gay capital." One evening, at a ball in the Montmartre district, he succumbed to the advances of a lady of somewhat doubtful morals, and eventually became the object of a quarrel between the woman and another, who had also been in his company. Filled with rage and pique at the slight which followed, the adventuress trumped up a charge of theft against Louis. The Public Prosecutor made short work of Louis' defense, and a letter, addressed to Bernard, bore the following words : - " My dear Bernard,- I have been fool enough to get mixed up with a woman, who, in a fit of jealousy, has accused me of stealing her jewels, and, as I cannot prove my innocence, I have been condemned to five years' imprisonment. Don't tell mother; it would kill her. - Louis Jansoulet." Bernard from that day went about his work in a dazed way. After the thought of Louis' error he could not settle, and, finally, leaving his mother sufficient for her needs for some time, he set out for a life in South Africa. On the way, at Marseilles, he met one Bompain, who, also in need of a friend, arranged to take him to a ship he knew of. An introduction to the captain secured berths for both as firemen. In the hot and grimy depths of the stokehold, they toiled for the next five weeks, and were pleased indeed to end the period of servitude, and set foot on new soil. After some weeks of search they drifted to the diamond mines, and entered once more upon a period of toil, compared to which the previous task was child's play. Bernard, ever of a strong and lusty way, could dig all day and hew the hard quartz without a murmur, but little Bompain, although a willing worker, soon found the work a severe trial. He was practically at the end of his powers of endurance, when Bernard made a staggering discovery. Within half-an-hour the news had spread all over the mine. The Frenchman, Jansoulet, had made the discovery of the age. Such a diamond had never before been gazed upon, and Jansoulet had suddenly become one of the world's richest men. Some months later Bernard sat in his palatial house in Paris, Bompain at his elbow as major-domo, and dreamed of his desires to conquer the entire city. His mother still preferred the old country life, and he was free to scheme and to gain his ambitions. Knowing his ways, one Moessac, the editor of The Messenger, soon fixed upon him as the one man to turn the tide of lii-fortune from his publishing house. A ball was arranged, on Moessac's suggestion, at Bernard's house, and here Felicia Ruys was introduced to him. Bernard, now named the Nabob, bestowed gifts with great prodigality, and Felicia was soon destined to come in for a share of his attentions. A scheme, evolved by Moessac and fostered by Bernard's growing love for the beautiful sculptress, was set on foot to secure for Bernard the office of Deputy for Corsica. The price of the honor was to be £4,000, to be paid to Moessac. Needless to say, the election proved an easy win for Jansoulet. He was soon able to dispatch a letter informing his mother of his success. He was not destined to live long, however, in his fool's paradise, for during a visit to Felicia's studio he overheard a conversation which showed that she was really in league with Moessac. In consequence of Bernard's denunciation. the rascally editor decided upon vengeance, and published a paragraph to the effect that " a grave political scandal is afoot. The member for Corsica, we are informed, has served a term of imprisonment for theft." Bernard arrived one day at the Chamber to find his alleged crime the one topic of conversation. He, having seen The Messenger, came prepared with the evidence of Louis' letter, and awaited the Chamber's action. The motion came on, and soon the House was intent upon the discussion of their comrade's transgression. At last Bernard was called upon to mount the dais and defend himself. As he commenced, his mother, who had come to congratulate her son, entered the visitors' gallery. She heard, in a dramatic scene, her son's denial of the base charge and his splendid speech. He was about to produce the letter which would fasten the guilt upon Louis, when he saw his mother's face. An instant's thought, and the letter was torn to fragments. Puzzled by his silence from this point, the majority pronounced him guilty. In the entrance-hall mother and son met, and as they left the Deputies began to realize that some reason obtained for the strange result of Bernard's actions. Moessac was shunned by all who knew him, and, disgusted with Paris and its superficial life, Bernard returned to the farm. Here, one evening, came Louis, footsore and starving. With true fraternal charity, he was taken in and succored, and once more the trio led their former plain and unassuming life as of old.

A wealthy man has two sons, one of whom becomes involved in a mesalliance with a poor girl, and he is therefore displaced by his father. His brother is declared as sole heir. Bit the father regrets this on his death bed.

Count Eric Konovitz, the military attaché of Strassland, is sent to Grovania. He has been ordered to attend a court ball and meet the Chamberlain, Von Thiel, whose residence, being close to the Myrano fortress, would be of material advantage to him as a basis of operation. Good fortune favors the count. He is the means of some slight assistance to Therese, the charming daughter of Von Thiel, and makes such an impression on her that he receives an invitation to visit the Chamberlain's home. Shortly afterward a hunting party is formed which, taking the count near the fortress, gives him the chance of making observations for future use. The young foreign attaché's continued presence at the Chamberlain's home arouses suspicion. Lieutenant Hanser, a cousin of Therese, receives a letter from the war office of Grovania requesting him to watch the count's movements. In the meantime, under the influence of Therese's charms, the count suffers his mission to occupy a secondary position in his mind. After receiving various notes in cipher from Strassland urging him to forward the desired information, the count bestirs himself and secretly visits the neighborhood of the fortress and proceeds to draw certain plans. A little Laplander, whose hatred the count has aroused by uncalled for harshness, follows him and finding a pocketbook which the spy has left, keeps it for future use. War clouds gather over Grovania and the count is ordered to gain at once the information necessary and forward it to his government. To further his projects, he leaves the Chamberlain's house and, disguised as a mechanic of the peasant class, takes lodgings in the cottage of Gunhild, a peasant friend of Therese. He soon arouses in her a deep and enduring love, and innocently she is the means of giving him the information he desires. She tells him that a certain flume leads to the military bridge that he has been unable to approach because of a heavy guard. That same night he stealthily leaves his room after writing a letter to Therese in which he tells her that he is about to fulfill the mission entrusted to him and that not even his love for her can sway him from fulfilling his duty to his country. Going to the flume, he suffers the swift current to carry him down to the bridge. Stealing upon one of the sentries, he hurls him from the structure below and then blows up the bridge. While he is doing this the Laplander hurries to the Chamberlain's house, tells him of his discovery and brands him as a spy. A little later, Lieutenant Hansen, Therese and Gunhild find in the waters of the river the lifeless body of the man who had subordinated his own love to that of his country.