Angela, the daughter of Prince Chiaromonte, is set to marry dull banker Ernesto Traversi, when she unexpectedly meets dashing Lt. Giovanni Severi at carnival time. Angela and Giovanni start meeting in secret and fall in love. She informs her father that she won't marry Ernesto and wants to marry Giovanni instead, but their marriage is put on hold, first by her disapproving father's untimely death and then by the outbreak of war. When it appears that Giovanni has been killed in battle, Angela vows never to marry and becomes a nun, dedicating her life in service to God. Meanwhile, Giovanni recuperates behind enemy lines, only thinking about finding a way home to Angela.