Letter 41: The Presidente de Tourvel to Viscount Valmont explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Seduction and Manipulation

  Tourvel directly accuses Valmont of using manipulative tactics, such as exploiting her candor and delivering letters in compromising ways, to advance his seduction.

• Hypocrisy and Appearance vs. Reality

  Tourvel contrasts Valmont's professed promises with his actual behavior, highlighting the gap between his words and his actions.

• Gender and Power Dynamics

  Tourvel's letter reveals the unequal power balance: she must plead for Valmont to leave, while he holds the power to stay or go, and she faces greater social risk from the association.

Characters to notice

• Madame de Tourvel

  Writes to Valmont, expressing indignation at his conduct and demanding he depart to preserve her honor.

• Viscount de Valmont

  The recipient of the letter; Tourvel accuses him of obstinately pursuing her and using her candor against her.

Key passages

• “Your obstinacy in teasing me incessantly with a subject that I neither will or ought to attend to; the ill use you have made of my candour, or timidity, to convey your letters to me; but, above all, the indelicate manner you imagined to hand me the last, without having paid the least attention to the consequences of a surprise which might have exposed me, would authorise me to reproach you in terms as severe as merited.”

  You keep pressing me on a topic I refuse to discuss, you've exploited my openness and shyness to send me letters, and your latest trick to deliver one risked exposing me to scandal—all of which gives me every right to condemn you harshly.

  Tourvel enumerates Valmont's offenses, emphasizing the danger his actions pose to her reputation.

• “I require, therefore, you would retire from hence, and leave me, as your residence here any longer will expose me to the censure of the public, which is ever ready to paint things in the worst colours, and a public whom you have long habituated to watching such women as have admitted you into their society.”

  I demand that you leave this place, because your continued presence will invite public gossip—a public you've taught to scrutinize any woman who lets you near her.

  Tourvel explicitly links Valmont's reputation to the threat of social ruin for herself.

• “Convince me then, Sir, as you have often told me, that a woman of virtue will never have reason to complain of you: show me, at least, that if you have ill treated such a woman, you are disposed to atone for the injury you have done her.”

  Prove what you've often claimed—that virtuous women have no cause to fault you—or at least show you're willing to make amends for the harm you've caused.

  Tourvel challenges Valmont to live up to his own words, offering him a chance to redeem himself.