Dangerous Liaisons · Chapter
Letter 34: Viscount Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil explained
Valmont writes to Merteuil, defending his methods of seduction and recounting his latest stratagems to force Madame de Tourvel to accept his letters.
What happens
Valmont writes to Merteuil, defending his methods of seduction and recounting his latest stratagems to force Madame de Tourvel to accept his letters. He describes how she refused his third letter, then cleverly returned it unopened, prompting him to disguise a letter as coming from Dijon and slip it into the post box. At breakfast, Tourvel receives it, becomes visibly distressed, and tears it up, though Valmont is confident she will read it later.
Themes in this chapter
Seduction and Manipulation
Valmont employs elaborate tricks—disguised handwriting, fake postmarks, and strategic timing—to force Tourvel to accept his letters, demonstrating calculated seduction.
Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality
Tourvel's public display of outrage (tearing the letter) contrasts with Valmont's belief that her curiosity will lead her to read it privately, highlighting the gap between outward virtue and inner desire.
Epistolary Form and Unreliable Truth
The chapter revolves around the physical and symbolic manipulation of letters—forged, disguised, and intercepted—underscoring how the epistolary medium itself can be used to deceive and control.
Characters to notice
- Viscount de Valmont
Narrates his ongoing seduction campaign, detailing his cunning methods to deliver letters to Tourvel despite her resistance.
- Marchioness de Merteuil
Recipient of Valmont's letter; he responds to her earlier advice about speaking versus writing in love.
- Madame de Tourvel
The target of Valmont's schemes; she refuses his letters and tears up the disguised one in front of others, though Valmont suspects she will read it.
- Madame de Rosemonde
Present at breakfast when the letters arrive; she notices Tourvel's distress and questions her.
- Countess de B⸺
Mentioned by Valmont as an example of a woman who answered his first letter out of vanity rather than affection.
Key passages
“You write enchantingly, my charming friend; but why take so much trouble to prove a position which all the world knows, that to make a quick progress in love matters, it is better to speak than write?”
Your letter is beautifully written, but you're laboring to prove something obvious: in love, speaking is more effective than writing.
Valmont opens by acknowledging Merteuil's argument but dismisses it as common knowledge, setting up his own counterpoint about exceptions.
“I will only remark, that you make but one exception to this principle, and that there are two: with children, who take this step through timidity, and give themselves up through ignorance, you must add the women of genius, who are dupes to self-love and vanity, which leads them into the snare.”
You mentioned only one exception to your rule, but there are actually two: besides timid young girls, you should also include intelligent women who are led astray by their own vanity.
Valmont refines Merteuil's seduction theory, adding a category of women who are vulnerable due to pride rather than naivety.
“I suspect she dreaded I was not so scrupulous as she, on the score of scandal, which made her invent this diabolical stratagem.”
I think she feared I might cause a scandal, so she came up with this clever trick to return my letter without a confrontation.
Valmont interprets Tourvel's return of his letter as a strategic move to avoid scandal, acknowledging her cunning.