- Archer and Ellen return to Boston.
- Archer heads back to New York City. Once there, he bumps into none other than Monsieur Rivière on the street. He invites Monsieur Rivière to meet him at his office for lunch.
- When Monsieur Rivière arrives at Archer's office, he confesses that he saw Archer in Boston. It turns out that Monsieur Rivière is the Count's messenger.
- Before he had gone up to Boston, Monsieur Rivière had stopped in New York City first to consult with Mr. Lovell Mingott to see how the Mingotts felt about Madame Olenska's separation from her husband. They want her to return to her husband.
- Now that he's returned from Boston after seeing the Countess, Monsieur Rivière disagrees, and believes that it would be awful for the Countess to return to the Count. He believes she has changed and turned into a complete American who would find the Count's corrupt European ways too awful.
- Monsieur Rivière then informs Archer that he will tell the Count his opinion and resign.
- Archer and Rivière shake hands and leave on friendly terms.