The Honor of the Humble (1914)

• 72%
• 1914
• Drama
• Harry Solter
• Florence Lawrence
• Matt Moore
• William O'Neill

The Count de Marigny, a wealthy French nobleman, tiring of city life, makes arrangements to visit his lodge in Brittany. He is cared for by Jacques Soule and his good wife Martha, peasant folks, who have a beautiful daughter, Flo. The Count arrives, and the little family receive him warmly. He, in turn, is pleased with their attentions. Flo is especially attentive to him, being attracted by his polished manners and genuine manliness. Her beauty and simplicity in turn appeal to the Count. She is different from the type of women he has met in his social circle, and they seek each other's company frequently. This is done without the knowledge of Flo's parents. One day, while hunting for game on the estate, Jacques captures a poacher, and is about to turn him over to the authorities, when the poacher pleads for mercy and promises to tell him something concerning his (Jacques') daughter if he will let him off. He tells him of seeing Flo and the Count seated on a rock in the bushes, kissing. Jacques does not believe it at first, but to convince himself starts a search for the couple. Much to his humiliation, he finds the poacher's tale true. Realizing the attentions of a man of such high station could result in no good, he seeks revenge upon him by cunningly leading him to the edge of a great cliff. Turning upon him, he endeavors to hurl the Count upon the rocks below. Thwarted by the superior strength of the younger man, Jacques fails in his attempt, and is only extricated from a perilous position by the heroic efforts of the Count. Flo comes upon the struggle just at its end, and misinterpreting it, orders the Count to leave. He returns to his city home. Still harboring hatred toward the Count and obsessed by the thought that because of him Flo is unhappy. Jacques goes to the city, and gains entrance to the Count's home. Again he is foiled in his attempt to kill the Count. Leaving his lodgekeeper in the custody of his servants, with instructions to release him in one hour, the Count returns to Flo with protestations of his love. She accepts him. The lodgekeeper returns only to find he has misjudged his master. He finds that the Count is sincere in his love for Flo.