▁first , ▁but ▁dis aster ▁strik es . ▁ ▁Chal ais ’ ▁letter ▁and ▁Maria ' s ▁portrait ▁are ▁discovered ▁by ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁cour ti ers ▁in ▁Chal ais ’ ▁des k . ▁ ▁Chal ais ▁tells ▁Maria ▁about ▁the ▁letters ▁and ▁she ▁says ▁all ▁is ▁lost . ▁ ▁Once ▁again ▁she ▁tells ▁him ▁to ▁fle e ▁through ▁a ▁secret ▁passage , ▁and ▁he ▁does , ▁ ▁but ▁tells ▁her ▁he ▁will ▁return ▁if ▁she ▁does ▁not ▁follow ▁him ▁within ▁an ▁hour . ▁ ▁Maria ▁s ings ▁a ▁prayer , ▁Hav vi ▁un ▁D io ▁che ▁in ▁sua ▁cle men za . ▁ ▁The ▁court ier ▁gives ▁the ▁letter ▁and ▁portrait ▁to ▁Che vre use ▁and ▁he ▁is ▁altern atively ▁nost alg ic ▁and ▁en rag ed . ▁ ▁He ▁confront s ▁Maria ▁and ▁v ows ▁reven ge . ▁Sud den ly ▁Chal ais ▁returns ▁for ▁Maria ▁through ▁the ▁secret ▁passage . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁final ▁tri o ▁Maria ▁ple ads ▁for ▁Che vre use ▁to ▁kill ▁her , ▁Chal ais ▁says ▁he ▁doesn ' t ▁fear ▁death , ▁and ▁Che vre use ▁th und ers ▁that ▁Chal ais ’ ▁death ▁is ▁im min ent . ▁ ▁He ▁gives ▁Chal ais ▁a ▁du eling ▁p istol ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁race ▁out . ▁ ▁A ▁shot ▁is ▁heard . ▁ ▁Che vre use ▁is ▁fur ious ▁because ▁Chal ais ▁has ▁committed ▁suic ide . ▁ ▁He ▁throws ▁the ▁letter ▁and ▁portrait ▁to ▁the ▁floor ▁before ▁Maria ▁and ▁c ries ▁out ▁La ▁vita ▁coll