As in the years past, Sisi retreats to Biarritz for the winter of 1897, seeking solace from the rigid Spanish Court Ceremonial of the Viennese Hofburg Palace. One foggy day, while strolling along the beach, she comes across an enigmatic old man in a wheelchair, his presence as fleeting as a wisp of fog.
Unbeknownst to others, Sisi and the old man share a secret - a memory of a chance encounter that has stayed with them over the years. Sisi is convinced she has glimpsed the man from her past, and he, too, is certain he has seen the woman who captivated him long ago. Yet, they both choose to keep their distance, cherishing the purity of their memories from the days they first met in Bad Kissingen.
James Colburn, a young Englishman, finds himself captivated by a woman of mystery, her identity a puzzle he can't solve. Their encounter becomes a defining moment in his life, a memory that never fades. And she, too, holds onto the memory of him, a flicker of a flame in her heart.
Meanwhile, in a different part of Europe, a young Italian named Luigi Lucheni embarks on a journey. His destination: Switzerland. By day, he toils at a construction site, blending into the crowd of laborers. But at night, he sheds his mundane facade, mingling with his fellow anarchists in the dimly lit corners of cheap public houses, his true nature hidden from the world.
When the opportunity presents itself, he plans to assassinate Prince Henri Philippe of Orléans in Geneva. However, he loses track of the Prince’s movements. Then he reads in the newspaper that Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary is also in Geneva. Since he considers all members of royal families to be odious parasites, he changes his devious plan.
