Did She Fall Or Was She Pushed? Dangerous Liaisons Readalong 2024

Thanks Tarahumara!
There is a lot going on! Valmont has walked into Merteuil's trap.
Danceny has proven to be a self-serving hypocrite and a complete numpty.

La Présidente is a broken woman.

Letter 145: The Marquise de Merteuil to the Vicomte de Valmont

• Laughing at him, the Marquise tells Valmont that the letter she sent him, the one he gave to Madame de Tourvel, was to manipulate him.
• Her victory wasn't over Madame de Tourvel, it was over him.
• She says he still loves her but allowed the Marquise to enjoy making him ashamed of it.
• She thinks he's stupid for have impulsively sent the letter and given up the woman he really wanted.
• It was the easiest thing in the world for her to have made him give up Madame de Tourvel.
• She saw through his scheme to lure Madame de Tourvel back on "false" pretenses. That way he could pretend to have met the Marquise's demand while still enjoying his affair with Madame de Tourvel.
• Ultimately, she couldn't care less what he does with the Presidente de Tourvel.
• The decision whether to return Cécile to Danceny or to try to get her pregnant, the Marquise leaves to Valmont, but she wants to be consulted before he makes a decision.
• She says she'll come to Paris at some indefinite time and will prove her love for Valmont despite being so unhappy with him at the moment.

• The Marquise tells Danceny she'll be in Paris tomorrow evening.
• Notice that this letter was written the same day she told Valmont she didn't know when she'd be in Paris.
• She invites Danceny to her place. But she's very coy about it. She says maybe he'd rather spend time with Cécile; after all, she's just his confidante.
• But anyway, will he please come?

• Madame de Tourvel has fallen seriously ill and become delirious.
• She's returned to the convent where she stayed as a girl, insisting on staying in the same room until she dies.
• She doesn't understand, as a married woman, she needs permission to stay at the convent.
• The nuns let her stay the night anyway.
• She remains quiet or paces the room, sometimes falling into the arms of Julie.
• The prioress sends for Madame de Volanges.
• Madame de Tourvel refuses any treatments they offer her. It took four people to hold her down to bleed her. (Bleeding being just about the only treatment available in those days.)
• Madame de Tourvel tells Madame de Volanges that she's dying because she didn't listen to her.

• Danceny is over the moon to learn that there are feelings of love between Madame de Merteuil and himself.
• He falls all over himself flattering her and confessing his total intoxication with her.
• He'll see her this evening and hopes she'll be alone.

Letter 143: The Présidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

• Tourvel is, as expected, destroyed.
• She wants to be left alone to die.
• She's all cried out and asks Madame de Rosemonde not to reply to her letter.

• Valmont tells the Marquise that he tried to see Madame de Tourvel and was told she'd run off to the convent.
• He thought this was just a story she made up to avoid seeing him, but later finds out that she really did go to the convent.
• He toys with the idea of trying to convince her to reconcile with him; he wouldn't really want it you know, it would just be a challenge.
• He reports that Cécile has bounced back, like kids do, from her "illness."
• Cécile's illness inspires Danceny to visit her regularly. He doesn't know what happened, of course.
• Valmont prides himself on deceiving Cécile, Danceny, and (in the future) Gercourt.
• Now the Marquise just has to deliver on her promises.

I would be up for another readalong, but would like a short break first!

Letters 141 and 142 are really significant ones. Merteuil is pulling the strings very tightly at this juncture.

I thought her assessment of Valmont's character was interesting; 'You are neither a lover or a friend to a woman, but always her tyrant or her slave'. This seems accurate if you think of Valmont and Merteuil's relationship where he bends to her will, rewriting that cruel letter of hers word for word and sending it off immediately to Tourvel! This relationship is the only one where Valmont does not have the upper hand. He dominates in his other relationships. While Merteuil pulls the strings, Valmont is central to the novel, being in a relationship with all three women.

Yes I agree @CornishLizard. I'd be up for another readalong but not necessarily the fallen woman theme.

At this point I'm leaning strongly toward the view that this book is a masterful combination of an amusing and well written romp which contains a serious warning for young girls. Merteuille is there as a lens to show women just how hard hearted and selfish a predatory man can be, and how a charming and persuasive facade can hide ill intent.

I've been coming round to this perspective recently too Bishy (earlier I was getting the ick with Valmont's grooming of Cécile and finding it hideous reading). Finding myself wondering about giving the book to my DD to read as a cautionary tale!

Cécile's predicament is shocking - a cautionary tale to parents too to educate their daughters.

142 was brutal - has he really sent that letter to MdT?

I've really enjoyed these readalongs too, very glad to have read W&P, AK and this with you all - I don't think I'd ever have tackled them alone. I think I might be done with the 'fallen woman gets her comeuppance' dynamic for a while but would be up for other classics.

Letter 141: The Marquise de Merteuil to the Vicomte de Valmont

• The Marquise believes she's being deceived—that Valmont really loves Madame de Tourvel.
• At least as much as it's possible for someone like him to love anyone.
• She thinks he's projecting all these wonderful qualities onto Madame de Tourvel that she doesn't really possess.
• The Marquise seems to be jealous. Is this for real?
• She tells him a story about a man who was unable to breakup with a woman who didn't suit him.
• His friends were tired of him saying, "It's not my fault."
• A lady friend sent him a letter mocking him, a nasty fake break-up letter with each insulting sentence ending with, "It's not my fault."
• The Marquise thinks the letter might be useful to Valmont, but she doesn't tell him what happened to this other man.
• She'll tell him in her next letter, along with her ultimatum about their relationship.
• BTW, she agrees that the news about Cécile's miscarriage should be saved for after the wedding to Gercourt.
• And oh yes, sorry for your loss, Vicomte.

Letter 142: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil

• Valmont has copied the letter and sent it to Madame de Tourvel.
• He's waiting for a reply but there's none so far.
• He's very curious about what happened to the man in the Marquise's story, as well as about this ultimatum she promises to send.

Me too! War and Peace was my first readalong on here, and I'm not sure I'd have managed it otherwise.

Hi @BishyBarnyBee yes! I have read The L-Shaped Room with that group.
It was a good one.

Definitely. I've read books on these readalongs that I would never have thought of reading, starting with War and Peace and it has been wonderful. (I did know Madame Bovary already.)

Thanks for the summary Tarahumara!
I missed it in the French text that Cécile had a miscarriage. I gathered she had fallen out of bed and that there had been a cover-up. Poor Cécile, she really hasn't a clue having been kept in a complete state of innocence or ignorance!

I agree that this book contains* *a very strong message to young women and their caretakers as well as serving as an insight into the lives of those in high society during those times. While I'm enjoying the intrigue, I'm finding it an uncomfortable read and not as frivolous as I had anticipated. It's fascinating though and very absorbing.

Emilie's reappearance was a clever reminder of Valmont's form and it feels like a marker of how far things have progressed; Tourvel having finally succumbed to Valmont or rather Valmont finally having imposed his will on her, really.

We have been reading the book for nearly five months now and there isn't too much longer to go.

Letter 138: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil

• Valmont gives the real story.
• He went to the opera to meet Émilie.
• The courtesan was laughing because Valmont told her who she is.
• Émilie remembered Valmont writing to Madame de Tourvel—he had used her body as a desk.
• Hence the laughter at Tourvel and her virtue.
• Valmont has tried to rectify the situation because he doesn't want to be dismissed. He wants to be the one to break up the relationship to please the Marquise.

• Madame de Tourvel says she was too hasty in writing to Madame de Rosemonde.
• Having thought her beloved false and lost to her, Madame de Tourvel now feels happier than ever believing he's true to her.
• How could she ever have doubted him?
• Oy.

• Valmont asks the Marquise why she hasn't replied to him.
• They forgot to lock the bedroom door and suddenly heard it open.
• He jumped out of bed, sword in hand.
• It turned out to be nothing, but Cécile has fallen from the bed and is unconscious.
• Valmont realizes that she's having a miscarriage. He has to explain it to her, and also explain that she was pregnant.
• Poor Cécile had no idea. Valmont is amazed how Cécile can be so innocent and at the same time so corrupted (thanks to him).
• Valmont gets the family physician and surgeon, swearing them both to secrecy.
• They take care of Cécile, give her a fake diagnosis, and that's that.
• Valmont doesn't want the episode made public unless at some point it would be useful to him and the Marquise.
• Everything's strategic to these two.

Poor Cecile

Sorry Cornish! Exciting events making me read on a bit!

You’re too fast Fuzzy! Poor Tourvel indeed, how far can she contort herself to believe him?

I’m behind again! Just ploughing through a book group read and hope to catch up again soon.

If memory serves I think Cécile’s fiancé Gercourt had a fling with MdM at some point but jilted her for a love interest of Valmont’s.

Merteuil had been jilted by Gercourt and wanted revenge. She had learned of his proposed marriage with Cécile.

You would really feel for Tourvel experiencing this rollercoaster of emotions going from delight to despair and back again. She isn't able for it.

I also thought the juxtaposition of Valmont's letters to Tourvel and Merteuil describing the scene outside the Opéra was fascinating. They described the same event but were so different in tone.

This is terrible!! Will she or won't she?!

Letter 135: The Présidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

• Tourvel is experiencing what Buffy did when Angel turned bad: suddenly the love of her life treats her like she's nothing.
• Valmont insults and humiliates her.
• He no longer loves her, and here's how she knows:
• She'd been planning to go out, but Valmont came to visit and asked her to stay with him.
• He'd been very tender, but then after a couple of hours his tone suddenly changed.
• She says he pretended to think of a reason he had to leave right away.
• So she decides to go out as she originally planned, and sees Valmont in a carriage with another woman, a known courtesan.
• Quelle horreur!
• The woman stares at Madame de Tourvel and can't stop laughing.
• Madame de Tourvel is devastated and she asks Valmont to return all her letters and never see her again.
• She hasn't heard a word from him.

• Madame de Tourvel tells Valmont where he can go.
• She realizes she was a fool to trust him when he's humiliated so many other women.
• He's not welcome at her home anymore.

• Valmont claims it was all a big misunderstanding. He would never hurt her. Never ever.
• He was supposed to meet someone at the opera, you see, but didn't.
• He ran into the courtesan, Émilie, who needed a lift to her place, so he obliged.
• Émilie was laughing, true, but not at Tourvel. Not at all!
• She was just ridiculing Valmont for being so embarrassed to be seen with her
• Valmont begs her not to leave him in despair and to remember all the blissful time they had together.
• He puts the ball in her court, which ISHO is a pretty dirty trick.

Yes! I'm intrigued. It's very hush hush.

Agreed! I was a bit surprised that Shmoop described her as "confident of winning" - that wasn't quite the impression I got from this chapter?

I was wondering about this lawsuit of Merteuil's. Details seem sketchy! Just the occasional mention of it now and again.

Letter 134: The Marquise de Merteuil to the Vicomte de Valmont

• The Marquise doesn't believe Valmont when he insists that he's not in love with Madame de Tourvel.
• This is no "experiment."
• The give-away was the language he used to describe Madame de Tourvel. He stopped being sarcastic in his description of her and started using words like "astonishing" and "sensitive."
• There's only one way he can prove to her that he's not in love: dump Madame de Tourvel.
• Not only that, but he has to continue his plot with Cécile according to her strict instructions.
• Then she'll think about giving him his reward.
• She doesn't think he'll be able to do it.
• The Marquise tells Valmont about a lawsuit against her that she's confident of winning.
• Other than that, she's bored, bored, bored.

It does! Hopefully the 2 schemers are setting up to destroy each other!