Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) Part 4, Letters 156-160 Summary

Letter 156: Cécile de Volanges to the Chevalier Danceny (attached to the preceding letter)

  • With her mother away, Cécile has arranged with the porter to sneak Danceny into her home.
  • She asks him to come this evening and promises him her love and adoration.
  • She'll send this letter via her good friend Valmont.
  • We find out later that Valmont actually wrote the letter himself to move his plan along.

Letter 157: The Chevalier Danceny to the Vicomte de Valmont

  • Danceny asks Valmont to spare Cécile the details of his infidelity.
  • He'll break things off with Madame de Merteuil and tell her they should just be friends. He knows she'll be fine with it, kind and honorable person that she is.
  • We'll see.

Letter 158: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil (written immediately upon waking)

  • Valmont asks the Marquise how her evening with Danceny went, knowing full well he was a no-show.
  • He confesses to having dictated the letter from Cécile that inspired Danceny to return to her. Piece of cake.
  • He tells her that it's better to have him as her friend than her enemy.

Letter 159: The Marquise de Merteuil to the Vicomte de Valmont (a note)

  • Madame de Merteuil notes that when she wants revenge, she takes it, and doesn't indulge in sarcasms.
  • He shouldn't get so confident that he's won the war.

Letter 160: Madame de Volanges to Madame de Rosemonde

  • In a moment of clarity, Madame de Tourvel starts dictating a letter to Julie.
  • Then she gets delirious again and the letter gets incoherent.
  • Julie doesn't know to whom it should be addressed. Madame de Volanges is surprised that Julie doesn't know it's for Valmont, which is what Madame de Volanges suspects. She's enclosing the letter so Madame de Rosemonde can see what's going on with her poor friend.