Dangerous Liaisons

20 August: Tourvel writes to Madame de Volanges. She tells Volanges how Valmont’s reputation might be a bit undeserved. She tells about what he did for the destitute family. She doubts he must be an “out and out libertine” (50).

21 August: Valmont writes to Merteuil. He finishes the story he had to cut off earlier. Tourvel was giving him glances, and she told him she knew what he had done. He played modest. Later in the day, when the two were alone, he professed his love for her. She fled to her room. He followed, but she had locked herself inside. Through the keyhole, he saw her praying. He briefly thought about taking advantage of the moment, but knew that a delayed victory would be better than a premature triumph.

20 August: Valmont writes to Tourvel. He asks for pity; he regrets having divulged his feelings. He wonders why his sentiments of love have caused her such alarm. He reproaches her treatment of him—he does not deserve such. He says he cannot cease to love her, but perhaps she can teach him to manage it.

22 August: Valmont writes to Merteuil. He uses his aunt (Madame de Rosemonde) to gain entrance to Tourvel’s room, to see her on her sickbed. The aunt asks him to check Tourvel’s pulse. He believes that Tourvel is not sick, rather playing a game with him: “She may be a good girl, but like every other woman she has her little tricks” (57).

At one point during dinner, he is able to ask her if she has written him. She says she has. He has sent a copy of the letter with his own, so that Merteuil can judge for herself. He does not believe the contents of it, but it does make him angry: “How can one not take revenge on such villainy” (58). He will write soon about Cécile.

21 August: Tourvel writes to Valmont. She tells him in no uncertain terms that she does not, and will never, love him. She is appalled that he mistook her kindness for something else. She says if she could possibly feel love for him, she would run far away. She wants him to send her letter back to her.

23 August: Cécile writes to Merteuil. She is very grateful that Merteuil will help her because she feels very confused. She wants to know if she should write to Danceny. She has enclosed his letter, so that Merteuil can judge his intentions for herself. She has heard that to love is wicked but has heard other things that contradict that. She wonders if Merteuil knows anything about her supposed marriage—she herself has not heard anything about it.

23 August: Danceny writes to Cécile. He berates her for not having answered him. He says she must be cruel to treat someone she professes a friend in such a manner. He opened himself up and she should do the same. He accuses her of feeling nothing for him, proven by her silence. He says he does not dare hope for a reply from her anymore.

24 August: Cécile writes to Sophie. She tells her that she was wrong to advise her not to write. Merteuil advised the opposite, and she greatly admires her. However, she told her not to tell her mother anything because it would only make her sad, thinking she had somehow failed in her upbringing. This makes Cécile pause and wonder why she would appear to care more for her than her own mother. She has learned that she is indeed to be married and wonders why her mother will not tell her.

24 August: Cécile writes to Danceny. She admits she loves him too.

25 August: Danceny writes to Cécile. He is so happy she loves him. He wants a kiss from her. He loves her so much, will always be hers, as she will be his. He cannot wait to see her again.

24 August: Madame de Volanges writes to Tourvel. She once again warns Tourvel about Valmont. She sees nothing great in what he did: “Human beings are not perfect in any way, no more perfectly evil than perfectly good. The wicked man has his virtues, the good man has his weaknesses” (67). She calls Valmont a “dangerous liaison” and implores Tourvel to leave the country and get away from him.

24 August: Merteuil writes to Valmont. She criticizes his weakness and blindness for having engaged in a written argument with Tourvel. Letters offer too much time for contemplation. He will not win her with logical arguments. Nevertheless, she believes he will succeed. Her project with Cécile is going well.

25 August: Valmont writes to Merteuil. He knows all about the difficulty in seduction via letter. That is nothing new to him, but he has no other way at the moment. Tourvel is doing a good job keeping away from him. He has had to be sneaky about getting letters to her. He used a ploy by forging an address and stamp from Dijon (where the Marquis de Tourvel is). It worked. She opened it and was visually shocked to find it was from him. He calls Tourvel now his “Fury.” He has enclosed the other letters, so that Merteuil can know all about what is being written.

21 August: Valmont writes to Tourvel. He again condemns her treatment of him, citing her as cruel and unjust. He will be silent and suffer in silence. His only crime is loving her, and she is offended by his love. He wants to know which of her friends have slandered him: “One does not condemn a guilty man without telling him what his crime is, without naming his accusers” (76).

23 August: Valmont writes to Tourvel, with a forged Dijon stamp attached to the envelope. He again condemns her behavior towards him. Since she refuses to read his letters, he blames her for the need of subterfuge. He calls what happened to him a misfortune. He had no plans on seducing her. He never knew her before he came to visit his aunt, but then he met her, spent time with her, and fell in love with her. He finally knew what love was. Is loving her such a bad thing, he asks her?

25 August: Tourvel writes to Madame de Volanges. She admits that Volanges’s earlier advice was sound. However, keeping away from Valmont might prove easier said than done. She cannot ask Madame de Rosemonde to have Valmont leave—that is too impertinent. She cannot leave herself, because he could always follow her, which would be worse. She will ask him to leave herself, and he will do it if his professions towards her are true. If he means to stay, she will leave.

27 August: Merteuil writes to Valmont. She wants to talk to him about Cécile. She describes her as having no character, principles, possessing no finesse nor intellect, but she does seem to have a natural duplicity. Danceny was given a perfect chance to kiss her, but he was too dumb to do it. Merteuil could really use Valmont’s help and asks him to hurry along with his seduction of Tourvel.

27 August: Cécile writes to Sophie. She has learned about her marriage from Merteuil, and the image she has of the Comte de Gercourt depresses her. She wishes she could tell her mother she does not want to marry him, but she fears being sent back to the convent. She also does not want to stop loving Danceny. Her only confidante is Merteuil, whom she loves too, and it is not wicked. Merteuil told her not to show her love in public, otherwise her mother might learn of Danceny.

27 August: Valmont writes to Merteuil. He talks about the difficulties he has with “the monster” (Tourvel). She does a great job keeping away from him. She has even requested he leave, but he has a counter-demand for her, if he is to follow her request. He has sent along her letter, so that she (Merteuil) can read it.