Dangerous Liaisons · Chapter
Letter 22: The Presidente de Tourvel to Madame de Volanges explained
Madame de Tourvel writes to Madame de Volanges recounting an act of charity by Valmont, who paid the debts of a poor family and gave them additional money.
What happens
Madame de Tourvel writes to Madame de Volanges recounting an act of charity by Valmont, who paid the debts of a poor family and gave them additional money. She defends his character, suggesting he may not be irredeemably wicked, and expresses her intention to visit the family with Madame de Rosemonde and Valmont.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality
Tourvel interprets Valmont's charitable act as evidence of virtue, while the reader knows his true manipulative nature, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.
Innocence and Experience
Tourvel's naive belief in Valmont's goodness contrasts with her lack of awareness of his calculated schemes, illustrating her innocence.
Characters to notice
- Madame de Tourvel
Writes to Madame de Volanges, recounting Valmont's charitable act and defending his character.
- Viscount de Valmont
Performs a charitable act by paying a poor family's taxes and giving them money; denies the deed when questioned.
- Madame de Volanges
Recipient of the letter; Tourvel seeks to change her harsh judgment of Valmont.
- Madame de Rosemonde
Plans to accompany Tourvel to visit the poor family.
Key passages
“Mr. de Valmont now seems entitled to this favour, I may almost say to this act of justice, for the following reason: This morning he went on one of those excursions, which might have given room to imagine a scheme in the neighbourhood; a supposition which, I must own, I too hastily adopted.”
Tourvel admits she wrongly suspected Valmont of plotting something, but now believes he deserves a fair judgment.
Tourvel's self-correction shows her initial suspicion and subsequent change of heart.
“He acquainted us that Mr. de Valmont, having found at the village of ⸻, an unhappy family whose effects were on the point of being sold for payment of taxes, not only discharged the debt for the poor people, but even gave them a pretty considerable sum besides.”
A servant reported that Valmont paid off a poor family's tax debt and gave them extra money.
The charitable act is described as virtuous and generous.
“Now tell me, most venerable friend, if M. de Valmont is an irretrievable debauchee? If he is so, and behaves thus, where are we to look for men of principle?”
Tourvel questions whether Valmont can truly be a lost cause if he performs such good deeds.
Tourvel's rhetorical question reveals her struggle to reconcile Valmont's reputation with his actions.