How we cite our quotes: (Part.Letter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Accepting [Prévan's] arm, I was wicked enough to make my hand tremble lightly in his hand and, as we walked, to lower my eyes and quicken my breathing, as if in presentiment of my defeat and awe of my conqueror. […] I ask you, could you have done better yourself? (2.85.11)
This is the opening move in the Marquise's plan to seduce Prévan and then accuse him of rape. She knows that a player like Prévan wants to be seen as a lady-killer, so she pretends to be at his mercy. He buys it. It's been the Marquise's experience that men love to be feared, and she sure knows how to play them.
Quote #8
Pooh! Your Présidente has you by the leading-strings, like a child. (3.81.4)
Wait. Valmont is Pooh? Winnie the Pooh? We knew his morals were all stuff and fluff, but, wow. Anyway, the Marquise is trying to humiliate Valmont by accusing him of being under the influence of Madame de Tourvel. That might be, but it's not Madame de Tourvel's doing. She doesn't know how to be insincere. It's the Marquise who's doing all the manipulating.
Quote #9
You must know, then, that Monsieur de Valmont who hitherto has delivered Monsieur Danceny's letters to me, suddenly found it too difficult to continue in the usual way. He wanted a key to my room. I can certainly assure you that I did not want to give him a key, but he went so far as to write to Danceny, and Danceny wanted me to do so. I am always so sorry to refuse him anything. (3.97.3)
When at first you don't succeed...Valmont's first effort to convince Cécile to give him her bedroom key didn't work, but that didn't stop him. Knowing how much she wants to please Danceny, he involves him in the plot. He's already insinuated himself into Danceny's life in a way that he knows would make it hard for Danceny to deny him what he wants. When you're a master manipulator, you know that there's more than one way to skin a cat. [Disclaimer: no cats were harmed in the writing of this sentence.]