In 1859, Alexandre Dumas returned from his trip to Russia with numerous
story ideas, many of which he wrote during a productive prior to his
departure for Italy. One of these ideas was a short, cheerful romance
based on a work by the Russian author Marlinsky.
It is 1812, and Napoleon is at the gates of Moscow. A Russian naval
squadron is blockading the coast of the French-occupied Netherlands. A
young Russian lieutenant, Elim Melodor, is shipwrecked on the Dutch coast.
Elim and five Russian sailors, seeking shelter, arrive at an isolated
house just in time to prevent the inhabitants, a wealthy Dutch merchant and
his sixteen year-old daughter, Jane, from being despoiled by robbers.
The grateful merchant houses shelters Elim and his men, and attempts to
arrange for their escape. Meanwhile, a romance blossoms between Jane and
Elim. Elim asks the merchant for Jane's hand, but the merchant demurs, in
part because Jane is young and also because Elim's as a junior officer
trapped in enemy territory in wartime, might reasonably be expected to have
a very short life expectancy.
Elim, the merchant, and Jane are betrayed to the French, but Elim escapes,
rescues Jane, seizes a Dutch customs boat, and makes his way back to the
Russian fleet and to a happy ending.
While the plot is pure melodrama, the story is filled with Dumas' patent
affectionate good humour, which allows him to poke some good natured fun at
the Dutch, the French national character, as well as the passions of the
young.
