- s elling ▁novel ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁and ▁was ▁made ▁into ▁a ▁film ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁First ▁Part : ▁My ▁Girl hood ▁Mary ▁O ' Ne ill ▁is ▁brought ▁up ▁in ▁Ell an , ▁loved ▁and ▁c ared ▁for ▁by ▁her ▁invalid ▁mother ▁within ▁a ▁house ▁domin ated ▁by ▁host ile ▁and ▁cruel ▁relations . ▁Mary ▁is ▁sent ▁to ▁a ▁convent ▁school ▁in ▁Rome ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁seven ▁and ▁over ▁the ▁subsequent ▁ten ▁years ▁her ▁mother ▁passes ▁away ▁and ▁she ▁grows ▁in ▁religious ▁dev otion ▁until ▁she ▁dec ides ▁to ▁enter ▁a ▁convent . ▁However , ▁her ▁father ▁instead ▁decre es ▁that ▁she ▁should ▁be ▁married . ▁Before ▁returning ▁to ▁Ell an , ▁Mary ▁again ▁meets ▁her ▁child hood ▁friend , ▁Martin ▁Con rad , ▁who ▁is ▁ag h ast ▁to ▁hear ▁that ▁she ▁is ▁to ▁marry ▁Lord ▁Ra a , ▁a ▁known ▁' pro fl ig ate ▁and ▁re prob ate .' ▁But ▁they ▁are ▁both ▁power less ▁to ▁opp ose ▁Mary ' s ▁father ' s ▁wishes . ▁ ▁Second ▁Part : ▁My ▁Mar riage ▁ ▁Back ▁in ▁Ell an , ▁Mary ▁is ▁trouble d ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁fo pp ish ▁Lord ▁Ra a , ▁who ▁is ▁clear ▁in ▁his ▁opinion ▁that ▁their ▁marriage ▁is ▁an ▁open ▁arrangement ▁for ▁k ud os ▁and ▁money . ▁Her ▁feeling ▁about ▁the ▁marriage ▁is ▁confirmed ▁by ▁letters ▁from ▁Martin ▁Con rad ▁which ▁reve al ▁that ▁Lord ▁Ra a ▁has ▁a ▁mist ress ▁in