Plot outline

To illustrate the complications of the plot (shifted right) and their unravelling (shifted left)

Vivaldi falls in                                                         I.i
love with Ellena;
           receives mysterious
           warning at Paluzzi

     Objections of                                                      I.ii
     Vivaldi's father
     and mother;
           mother calls in
           Schedoni for advice
           
           Signora Bianchi dies:                                       I.iii
           may be suspicious

                         Ellena kidnapped,                              I.vi
                         taken through wild
                         scenery to monastery

           Vivaldi investigates                                        I.vii
           Paluzzi with Paulo:
                   trapped in dungeon;
                   Paulo's story of
                   mysterious confession

                         Ellena faced with                            I.viii
                         ultimatum of Abbess;
                   meets Olivia, gains
                   limited freedom

           Vivaldi, Paulo freed;                                        I.ix
           Vivaldi sees Schedoni,
           accuses him; hears
           of Ellena's abduction

           Schedoni obtains                                              I.x
           agreement of Marchesa
           to act against Vivaldi

                   Ellena seen by                                       I.xi
                   Vivaldi at monastery
                   
           they escape, but may                                         II.i
           be pursued by friars;
           to lake of Celano                                           II.ii

                         Marchesa agrees to                           II.iii
                         Schedoni's plan to
                         murder Ellena

           Ellena agrees to                                             II.v
           marry Vivaldi;
                   abducted at chapel
                   by `Inquisition'

                   Vivaldi and Paulo                                   II.vi
                   taken to Rome and
                   imprisoned at Inquisition;
                         at first interrogation
                         Vivaldi agrees to secrecy

                   Ellena taken to                                    II.vii
                   seashore house;
                         fears murder,                               II.viii
                         meets Schedoni

                         Spalatro declines to                          II.ix
                         murder Ellena;
                               Schedoni about to stab her
                               learns he is Ellena's father

                               On return towards Naples                III.i
                               assailant in ruined villa
                               may be Spalatro; guide's
                               tales of villa's history

                         Schedoni now urges                          III.iii
                         marriage of Ellena and
                         Vivaldi on Marchesa

                   Ellena at convent in                               III.iv
                   Naples, fears and hopes

                               Vivaldi sees Paluzzi monk               III.v
                               in interrogation chamber,
                               then converses with him
                               during night in cell
                               
                                     Interrogators now puzzled        III.vi
                                     by monk: to inquire into it

                                     Schedoni's past revealed        III.vii
                                     by his confessor Ansaldo;
                                     mysterious monk's accusations;
                               monk Nicola was Schedoni's
                               agent against Vivaldi

                               At Schedoni's trial:                 III.viii
                               his murder of brother;
                         Spalatro's confession to
                         Nicola by chance;
                         Schedoni tells Vivaldi
                         he is Ellena's father

                   Ellena visited by Olivia                           III.ix
                   who meets her old servant;
           Olivia is Ellena's mother,
     Schedoni not her father

                         Schedoni confesses his plot                  III.xi
                   Paluzzi events explained
           Schedoni and Nicola die

     Vivaldi is released                                             III.xia
     Marchese withdraws objections

Ellena and Vivaldi married                                           III.xii