In 1792 at the Palace of Versailles, Madame de Plonge bets Colombine that she can't seduce the young, handsome Marquis de Bonvie. Lisette suspects that it's all part of a ""setup"" to ruin her mistress and offers to take her place. Columbine learns that her elderly husband, Honore, has caught the pox, and turns it around to her advantage.