# Letter 40: The Viscount de Valmont to the Marchioness de Merteuil explained — Dangerous Liaisons

> Chapter companion for Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

## What happens

Valmont writes to Merteuil describing his strategic acquiescence to Madame de Tourvel's demand that he leave the chateau, making conditions to ensure future correspondence and discussion. He recounts Tourvel's feigned headache and ill humor, their tense interactions, and her eventual delivery of a letter containing a request, which he accepts while attempting to maintain control of the seduction.

## Themes in this chapter

### Seduction and Manipulation

Valmont's strategic acquiescence and conditional compliance are calculated moves to maintain control over Tourvel and advance his seduction.

### Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality

Tourvel feigns a headache and ill humor to conceal her emotional turmoil, while Valmont pretends to comply with her wishes to further his own agenda.

### Gender and Power Dynamics

Valmont manipulates the power dynamic by granting Tourvel the illusion of authority, believing that 'whosoever commands is responsible' and that this will trap her.

## Character check-ins

### Viscount de Valmont

Narrates his calculated compliance with Tourvel's demands, setting conditions to maintain leverage in the seduction.

### Marchioness de Merteuil

Recipient of Valmont's letter; he seeks her approval and shares his strategic reasoning.

### Madame de Tourvel

Feigns illness and ill humor, delivers a letter to Valmont requesting his departure, then retreats to her apartment.

### Madame de Rosemonde

Proposes an airing; Valmont is forced into a tête-à-tête with her when Tourvel pleads a worsening headache.

## Key lines

> I thought I should not let slip the opportunity of receiving her commands; being, on the one hand, convinced, that whosoever commands is responsible, and on the other, that the imaginary air of authority we give the women, is the most difficult snare for them to escape

Valmont believes that by letting Tourvel give him orders, she will become accountable for her actions, and that the pretense of female authority is a trap she will find hard to escape.

_Valmont reveals his manipulative strategy of using Tourvel's own authority against her._

> I even took care to stipulate for one impossible to be performed; not only that I may be at liberty to keep or break my word, but engage in a discussion, either verbally or in writing, whenever my fair one might be more satisfied with me, or feel the necessity of relaxing.

Valmont deliberately sets a condition that cannot be fulfilled, giving himself the freedom to choose whether to honor his promise and ensuring future contact with Tourvel.

_Valmont's cunning ensures he retains control over the pace and terms of the seduction._

> The pretty prude did not make her appearance until dinner was on the table, and informed us she had got a bad headache; a pretence for concealing the most violent ill humour that ever possessed woman.

Tourvel uses a headache as an excuse to hide her intense irritation and distress.

_Tourvel's feigned illness masks her emotional state, highlighting the theme of appearance versus reality._

## Links

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