Captain-Lieutenant Ilya Petrovich Pravin was in love for the first time and with all possible passion. The anxiety and warnings of friends, and most of all the comrade in the naval corps, and now the first lieutenant of his frigate, Neil Pavlovich Kakorin, are in vain. In vain are the intricate medical advice of a ship's doctor. Every day, the captain at a ball or reception, every day looking to see Princess Vera **. The stranger’s reckless remark in her presence - and now there’s a duel in which Pravin is noble and courageous than his opponent. Suspicion that her attention belongs to another - and hellish torment tremble his heart, like the violent winds of the Atlantic. Confident that he was preferred to a young diplomat, Pravin went to the Hermitage in order to forget himself among the masterpieces of true art that exalt the soul. Here, at the sculpture of Psyche - a wonderful creation of Canova, he meets Faith. There is a desperate confession and in response ... a confession, as sincere, involuntary and uncontrollable. Happiness engulfs the captain like a bright fire. He is loved! But the virtue of Vera ... In order to shake her, remarkable efforts are needed. And one day he comes to her cottage in full uniform. “What does that mean, captain?” Pravin, meanwhile, wrote a whole story about how, from two missions — a brief courier visit to the shores of Greece and a four-year round-the-world trip to the American fort Ross and vice versa (reality offered only the first) - he chose the second, because the hopelessness of his situation leaves him no other opportunity . “No, cher ami! I just decided. Only agree to a cruise into the warm Mediterranean Sea. I will do everything!" Pravin burst into tears of shame and confessed everything. But Vera herself was already happy with this resolution of tension. Meanwhile, fate dragged on their relationship with a maritime knot.

Ten days later, in Kronstadt, the ship is anchored, at the stern of which one can see a group of three persons: a slender naval headquarters officer, a squat man with general epaulettes and a pretty lady.

A woman in love overcomes the boundaries of the possible. Everything is arranged in the best way, to improve health Prince Peter *** and his wife go abroad, and before England he is allowed to sail aboard the frigate "Hope".

Prince Peter was very interested in excellent ship kitchen. Pravin caught the darkness of the night in the black eyes of Princess Vera, she was drowning in his blue. They were blissful.

Revel and Finland passed, Sweden, Denmark, Norway flashed, flashed straits, islands, wonderful lighthouses of brilliant British in their practicalism. The prince came down in Portsmouth, the princess was taken to one of the villages in the south of the island, where she had to wait for her husband to return from London. Lovers said goodbye.

The frigate was anchored in sight of the shore. The weather has deteriorated. Pravin did not find a place for himself. Suddenly he decided to go ashore - to see her one more time only! Lieutenant Kakorin protests in a friendly, but resolute way: the captain has apparently neglected his duties lately, a storm is approaching, and now the ship should not be abandoned. There is a quarrel. The captain removes Kakorin, his first assistant, from command and tells his friend to go under arrest. Then he fulfills his intention: date or death!

Lovers survive a stormy night. Tornadoes walk on the sea, huge ramparts billow the surface of the waters. The captain understands that he must be on the ship, it is clear to him that he commits betrayal, postponing the return until the morning. But he is not able to leave. In the morning before lovers unexpectedly appears Prince Peter. Explanations are inappropriate - the prince rejects his wife and returns to London. Now they are free, happiness opens before them. But past the windows of the hotel in a raging sea, like a ghost, a ship worn by a storm moves. This is "Hope." Now Vera cannot keep the captain. A ten-rowing boat rushes into the heart of the storm.

The boat with terrible force hit the side of the ship. Killed six rowers. Due to the inexperience of the second lieutenant, another five people died under the debris of the mast on the ship. Captain Pravin was seriously injured and lost a lot of blood. A copper nail from the skin of the vessel upon impact entered him between the ribs. Depressed by his guilt, he suffered extraordinarily. The whole team, including the ship's doctor, prayed to God for his salvation.

The princess spent day and night at the hotel window with a telescope, not releasing the frigate. There was all her hope. Prolonged observation through a telescope produces an extraordinary action, turning us into excitement similar to the influence of a play in an unknown language. The princess saw everything, but could not fully understand anything. Everything moved, the frigate was removed, and returned to its former slender appearance. Suddenly, a cannon struck with fire. Something red flashed and disappeared overboard. The flag sank to the bottom, then again flew up the mast.

Today, he will not come again? But at dusk footsteps were heard. A man in a Scottish cloak came in. With a jubilant heart, Vera rushed to him. But the male hand pushed her away.

“Princess, you were mistaken. I’m not Pravin, ”said a strange voice. Before her stood Lieutenant Kakorin. “The captain died; he lost too much blood.” “His blood remained here,” he added bitterly. “...

The performance did not start, they were waiting for the sovereign. The young guard officer directed his fashionable quadrangular lorgnet to one of the boxes, then leaned toward his neighbor: "Who is this beautiful lady next to the fat general?" - “This is the wife of Prince Peter ***” - “How? Is it really that same Vera ***, whose tragic love for Captain Pravin has been talked about so much in the world? ” “Alas, this is his second wife. Princess Vera died in England after the death of the captain. "

Is death not terrible? Isn't love beautiful? And are there really things in the world where good and evil would not mix?