John Durham, an elegant New York gentleman, returns to Paris with the intention of marrying his childhood friend, Fanny Frisbee, recently separated from the lustful Marquess of Malrive. Despite the love they both profess, Madame de Malrive decides to renounce the promising marriage, fearing that the puritanical family of her husband will oppose her divorce and that a possible scandal will damage the good name of her son. Durham decides to resort to the sister-in-law of his lover, Madame de Treymes, who until now had been favorable to the union. But the scales of values of the enigmatic Parisian lady and the innocent American are so different that, despite the good intentions of both, will trigger a tragic and unexpected end.