Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) Part 4, Letters 161-165 Summary

Letter 161: The Présidente de Tourvel to … (dictated by her and written by her maid)

The letter begins and ends with hostility to Valmont.
She feels abandoned by all her friends because of what's happened.
She wishes her husband would return so he could punish her for being unfaithful.
Instead, God is punishing her by making her think about the man who has ruined her.
She seems to hallucinate Valmont first as a tender lover, then as a monster.

Danceny has learned of Valmont's affair with Cécile—no doubt from his friend the Marquise.
He challenges Valmont to a duel in the morning.
Well, that escalated quickly!

Bertrand sadly gives the news to Madame de Rosemonde that her nephew was killed in a duel. Valmont was carried home, bleeding to death from two sword wounds
Danceny's there as well, weeping.
Everyone's shocked when Valmont tells them not to blame Danceny and embraces him as friend.
He gives Danceny a pack of letters and asks to speak to him privately.
After receiving the last rites, Valmont dies.
Bertrand is very sad about Valmont's death. He informs Madame that she is now free to dispose of her property however she likes; it was to have passed to Valmont

Less forgiving than Valmont, his aunt wants a legal complaint lodged against Danceny.
She thinks duels are a ridiculous relic of a time long past.
As a precaution, she asks Bertrand to get some legal advice about this matter.

Madame de Volanges consoles Madame de Rosemonde about her nephew's death and has more bad news to share. Madame de Tourvel has died.
When Madame de Tourvel learns of Valmont's death, her condition deteriorates even more.
She sends everyone away except Madame de Volanges and asks God to forgive Valmont.
She asks to meet with Father Anselme and she gives Madame de Volanges a box of documents to give to Madame de Rosemonde.
She spends an hour with Father Anselme. After an hour, she seems calm but the priest is in tears.
Everyone spends the day in prayer, and Madame de Tourvel dies that evening.
Madame de Volanges reminisces about what a perfect life everyone thought that Madame de Tourvel had—beauty, a loving husband, fortune, lots of friends.
Who would have thought things would end like this?
Upon hearing of the two deaths, Cécile faints.