- Newman's a solitary guy. He goes to the opera Don Giovanni alone, despite the fact that he has a fiancé who likes opera.
- Who should Newman spot but Urbain and his young wife (the Marquise)?
- Noémie's there, too, but she's with a young man Newman doesn't recognize. Everyone's at the opera.
- Newman feels like he really should say hello to the de Bellegarde family.
- On the way, he runs into Valentin. Valentin's practically weeping.
- He's obsessed with Noémie, who doesn't seem to care that much for him.
- Newman essentially says, "Just say the word, and I'll get you a job in a bank in America."
- The idea seems to grow on Valentin. He catches Newman in the lobby during the second act to tell him he's seriously thinking about it.
- Oh yeah, but first he wants to go see Noémie. Newman recognizes instantly that this is a bad idea.
- Next thing Newman knows, Valentin is getting into fisticuffs with Noémie's companion.
- Newman pokes his head into Noémie's box and finds her totally alone. She's pretty excited about the prospect of two guys dueling over her.
- Newman rushes off to find Valentin. Yep, he's planning to duel over Noémie. Whoopee.
- The dude he's dueling, Stanislas Kapp, insulted him. It's a done deal.
- When Newman swings by Claire's place the next day, she's pretty worried about the whole plan to duel.
- Weirdly enough, the duel can't take place on French soil. It's illegal.
- So Valentin announces his plan to take a train to Geneva. There, the deed will be done.
- Before he leaves, he has a last dinner with Newman. They really are best buds.
- Even though Newman begs him to reconsider, Valentin stubbornly decides to go.