Chapter 25

Chapter 25- Newland saw that day as a failure because he didn't touch Ellen, or make any promises about future plans. he sees the face that was unlike any other and realizes that it is because it is not an American face and that it is Monsieur Riviere. Also shockingly he is the messenger that Count Olenski sent. Newland is at first furious then the man tells Newland that he actually wishes that Ellen would not return to her husband and he was only doing his job. He also wants Newland to try and convince the rest of Ellen's family that it is a bad idea for her to return to him. Then Newland realizes that he was excluded from these decisions within Ellen's family, he thought that her family disapproved but were staying out of it but really they were trying to keep him out of it. Newland then remembers May saying something to him, which he feels was a test to see where he stood on the matter and he failed thus he was kept out of all the discussions with the family. Monsieur Riviere says that Ellen has changed and that America has changed her such so that she couldn't go back to European customs. Newland also begins to think that perhaps Monsieur Riviere is the secretary from the past when he says that he has known the Count and Ellen for several years ( I immediatly thought this when i heard that he was the messenger from the Count).