 Cardinal Richelieu has condescended to permit the Marquis to die in battle against thirty-thousand Spaniards instead of facing ignominious death on the gallows.The Marquis secretly plans that as soon as the wedding vows are completed he will leave for his final battle, having first ennobled Désirée and then making the new Marchioness a widow, freeing her to marry the Count – thus fulfilling his promise to solve his friend’s dilemma.However, the jealous Count is infuriated upon learning of the marriage plan and challenges the Marquis to a duel.