By the Lake of Lugano, in 1917, Lady Alice Copland, the widow of an English lord, meets Thomas in a casino. The handsome young man has just gambled all his money away. Moved both by his lot and by his good looks, Alice prevents him from committing suicide; comforts him and becomes his mistress. After learning that her lover has deserted the Austrian Army, she gives him the money he needs to return to Zurich and accompanies him to the station. Shortly afterwards she surprises him at the casino, gambling the money she gave him.