The American is a novel by Henry James.
An American businessman and a bachelor, Christopher Newman has just acquired great
wealth through shrewd means in his dealings. He plans to find a wife in Paris and travels to France. Quite naïve in European ways, he hires an expatriate American, Mrs Tristam, to help him out and teach him about the Parisian way of life.
Newman finds a widow, Claire de Cintre, who comes from an aristocratic French family, the Bellegardes. He eventually becomes engaged to Claire. However, the Bellegardes are not willing to sacrifice status quo and family pride despite Newman''s wealth. They decide to break the engagement.
Claire has a brother, Valentin Bellegarde, who becomes a friend and sort of ally of Newman. Valentin was introduced by Newman to Noemie Nioche, a young woman who copies paintings for a living. Valentin got into a fight from his involvement with Noemie, forced into a duel and dies. Just before dying, he provides Newman to Mrs Bread, the Dowager Marquise''s maid, who reveals that the Marquise had caused her husband''s death by withholding his medicine. This information is a scoop for Newman, however, he
decides not to use it if only to force a marriage with Claire.
The story ends with him not marrying Claire. She decides to enter the nunnery becoming a Carmelite nun. A sad but realistic ending.
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