Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) Part 4, Letters 136-140 Summary

Letter 136: The Présidente de Tourvel to the Vicomte de Valmont

  • 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.

Letter 137: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Présidente de Tourvel

  • 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.

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.

Letter 139: The Présidente de Tourvel to Madame de Rosemonde

  • 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.

Letter 140: The Vicomte de Valmont to the Marquise de Merteuil

  • 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.