Paul and Virginia

Overview

Paul and Virginia are two young lovers who have grown up together from infancy on an island in the Indies. When Virginia is sixteen, her mother receives a letter from a wealthy aunt in Paris, who offers to make Virginia her heir and give her a good education, providing Virginia will, in the future, make her aunt's home her own. Virginia goes leaving Paul brokenhearted at her departure. Virginia tries to be a dutiful niece, but when her aunt insists that Virginia marry a rich nobleman she refuses, and her aunt disowns her sending her back to her island home. Virginia's ship arrives during a hurricane, and despite being only a cable's length from shore, it sinks before help can reach it. Paul almost loses his own life in a vain attempt to save her, but Virginia is lost.