# Letter 95: Cecilia Volanges to the Viscount de Valmont explained — Dangerous Liaisons

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

## What happens

Cecilia writes to Valmont, agreeing to exchange the key as he requested. She denies loving Danceny and asks Valmont to reassure Danceny in his letters. She proposes a plan to swap keys and requests that Valmont use the key to retrieve her letters for Danceny. She apologizes for her earlier fear and asks for his continued friendship.

## Themes in this chapter

### Seduction and Manipulation

Valmont manipulates Cecilia into exchanging keys, facilitating his control over her correspondence with Danceny.

### Innocence and Experience

Cecilia's naive compliance and fear of discovery highlight her innocence being exploited by Valmont's experienced manipulation.

## Character check-ins

### Cecilia Volanges

Writes to Valmont, agreeing to the key exchange and denying her love for Danceny.

### Viscount de Valmont

Recipient of Cecilia's letter; she asks him to return the key and to reassure Danceny.

### Chevalier Danceny

Mentioned as the one Cecilia supposedly does not love; she asks Valmont to write to him.

### Madame de Volanges

Cecilia fears her mother discovering the key exchange.

## Key lines

> Sir, I beg you will return me the key you gave me to put in the place of the other; since it must be so, I must agree to it.

Cecilia asks Valmont to give back the key he provided to replace the original, reluctantly accepting the situation.

_Cecilia's reluctant compliance with Valmont's plan._

> I don't know why you should write to Mr. Danceny, I did not love him: I don't think I ever gave you any reason to say so; it has given us both a great deal of uneasiness

Cecilia denies loving Danceny and claims Valmont's statements caused distress for both of them.

_Cecilia's denial of her feelings, possibly under Valmont's influence._

> If you contrive to give it me tomorrow as we go to dinner, I would give you the other key the day after at breakfast, and you could return it to me in the same way you did the first.

Cecilia proposes a specific plan to exchange keys during meals to avoid detection.

_The secretive method of exchanging keys highlights the need for concealment._

## Links

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