In 1346 the town of Bordeaux, France is faced with a tragedy like no other. A disease so terrible had afflicted the people that the victims' only hope is for a quick death. Painful swellings filled with bloody pus appear in the armpits and the groin then spread to the rest of the body. Convulsions and vomiting persist. With no cure hundreds die every day a gruesome and agonizing death. Cemeteries are filled to capacity and the dead are buried in mass graves. Moral decay replaces decency and anarchy replaces order. Criminals take over stealing, assaulting, and even killing. In the vineyards of Bordeaux, Gabrielle, a beloved heiress to her aunt's and uncle's vineyard estate has her life shattered by Raoul, the chateau's steward. In some mysterious way unknown to Gabrielle, Raoul gained control of the household and became the master of the chateau. Now he is forcing Gabrielle and his son Marcel to marry against their wills for reasons neither understand. To her shock and despair her aunt and uncle agree to the marriage knowing she doesn't love Marcel, and that if she is to marry it must be for love. As they sit among the vineyards, Gabrielle and Marcel disclose their dreams and their love for each other as brother and sister. Marcel reveals his wish to be a priest and his plan to leave home and attend a seminary in Bordeaux. Unwilling to remain behind Gabrielle decides to leave also. They plan their escape, and as the moment draws near she musters the courage, but Marcel stays behind confronted by his father. Later he defies his father and leaves. On his path to the priesthood he joins the flagellants believing that self-punishment will eradicate the plague. Yet his good intentions threaten his life. Once free, Gabrielle finds refuge in a Bordeaux convent where she overcomes her fears of the plague and helps the nuns nurse the sick and the dying. Having left the comforts of her privileged life, she sees the poverty and the misery of a world unknown to h