Madame Sans-Gêne

Paris. 10 August 1792, the day of the capture of the Tuileries during the French Revolution There is a squabble in the laundry of Caterina Hubscher, a beautiful Alsacian girl, a very free and easy-mannered woman whom everyone calls "Madame Sans-Gêne" (Madame Carefree). One of her customers is Fouché (later Minister of Police under Napoleon), whom Caterina dislikes; another, a quiet young officer who lives nearby, is Napoleon himself. As Caterina is about to close her laundry, a wounded Austrian officer arrives and asks for her help, Caterina hides him in her room. The officer turns out to be the Count of Neipperg. Sergeant Lefebvre, Caterina's fiancé, arrives with more soldiers and is suspicious when he sees the doors closed. He discovers Neipperg but tells his men that there is no one in the room, and to leave. Once alone with Caterina, he helps her to assist the Count. The castle of Compiègne. September 1811 Napoléon is at the height of his career. Lefebvre has distinguished himself in many battles, and has become a Marshal of France. For his success in the siege of Danzig, Napoléon has made him Duke of Danzig. Caterina, the former laundress, is his wife of many years, and now a duchess, but her demeanor has not changed and causes scandals in court. The Emperor orders Lefebvre to divorce Caterina and find a more suitable wife. Lefebvre and Caterina are desperate and also worried about their friend Neipperg, who is suspected by the Emperor of an affair with the Empress Marie…

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