insistent on her giving an answer immediately because he is supposed to be leaving to take a post in Naples. He decides to stay at their home much to the chagrin of the Colonel who does not think he should desert his post in Naples in order to win the hand of his daughter. He dines with the family and tells them his reasons for wanting to marry the Marquise, mainly being that he hallucinated visions of her while he was recovering from his chest wound. After dinner, the Marquise admits to her parents that this is a great test to her gratitude because, although she does not wish to be remarried, she feels that she owes him this favour in return for having saved her. She decides to agree to marry him, which pleases her mother greatly. They tell the Count and tell him to go to his post in Naples and return when it is a better time to be married. They promise that the Marquise will not entertain any other suitors as potential husband. He is very happy about this and departs. While he is away, the Marquise finds herself to be appearing more and more pregnant, but does not believe it to be possible since she has not been with any man since her husband died three years before. Her pregnancy is confirmed by a doctor and then a midwife. This infuriates her parents, who do not believe her innocence. They send her a letter telling her that she is no longer welcome in her home because of the shame she would bring the family. They also attempt to have her leave her daughters with them, but she refuses and takes them to her deceased husband's estate, which is somewhat secluded. The Count returns and is told that the Marquise is pregnant. He is still insistent on marrying her, which shocks her brother. He then goes to the estate where she is staying and attempts to enter but is turned away by the porter who is on strict orders to not let in any guests. So he sneaks in through the garden and finds the Marquise sitting outside with her daughters. He begs her to accept his marriage proposal but she does not and runs away. She then decides to publish the announcement in the newspaper. The announcement is answered the very next day by an