Letter IV’s note points out Valmont using the churchy language of the devout household he’s fooling. Before every letter, a note of about 100 words says who is writing, to whom, and what they’re really after.
Catch the lie, the plan, the same days twice
Letter XI’s note sends you back to Valmont’s own account in Letter VI. Dozens of notes do the same, so you set letters side by side and watch Valmont and Madame de Tourvel describe the same days in their own ways.
Five habits that make letters easy reading
The introduction’s “How to Read a Novel in Letters” gives five habits: the heading, what each writer hides, the dates, the footnotes, the voices. Plus Laclos, the artillery officer whose schemers plan like soldiers laying a siege.
Never wonder who’s who again
A who’s who of the correspondents and their circle, led by the Marquise de Merteuil, the Vicomte de Valmont and Madame de Tourvel, a quick flip away whenever a name comes back.
Finally get the titles and customs
In Letter XXI Valmont hands a family ten louis. The glossary tells you what that meant: a louis d’or was a gold coin worth twenty-four livres. 126 terms of 18th-century France, from Marquise and Présidente to rouerie and whist.
Every word of the novel, complete
All 175 letters in four Parts and the Appendix, with Laclos’s own footnotes signed “C. de L.”, in Richard Aldington’s lively English translation, first published in 1924.
A novel told entirely in letters asks a lot of a modern reader: who is writing, to whom, what are they hiding, and what on earth is a rouerie? This edition answers before you have to ask. A short note before every letter tells you who is writing and what they’re after, so you never lose the thread. It’s the most readable Dangerous Liaisons you’ll ever hold.
The Marquise de Merteuil, admired in public as a model of good sense, writes to her old partner in crime, the Vicomte de Valmont, with a plan and an old score to settle with the man who once jilted her. Valmont has his own target. From the country house of his aunt, Madame de Rosemonde, he has set himself to win Madame de Tourvel, famous for her piety and her loyalty to her absent husband. Meanwhile Madame de Volanges warns her friend about Valmont, and Madame de Tourvel defends him.
The pleasure is reading everyone’s mail and knowing more than any one of them. Merteuil’s letters sparkle and cut; Valmont boasts in the churchy language of the devout household he is fooling.
Here is Choderlos de Laclos’s novel of 1782, complete, in Richard Aldington’s translation first published in 1924, with Laclos’s own footnotes. This edition’s introduction, notes, who’s who and glossary put you right at the writers’ shoulders, like reading with a friend who knows everyone in the room.
What’s inside
The complete novel: all 175 letters in four Parts and the Appendix, with the Publisher’s Note, the Editor’s Preface and Laclos’s own footnotes
Richard Aldington’s English translation, first published in 1924
An introduction for today’s reader: Laclos’s life, “Letters as Weapons” and how to read a novel in letters
A short reader’s note before every letter, about 100 words: who is writing, to whom, and what they’re really after
A who’s who of the correspondents and their circle
A glossary of 126 terms: words, titles and customs of 18th-century France
A Note on the Text, listing each correction of an obvious printer’s error in the 1924 printing
Look inside
Title pageContentsLetter IX, with its reader’s note
The correspondents
The Marquise de Merteuil. A widow of Paris society, respected by her friends and related to Madame de Volanges, who privately plots with her former lover Valmont. Witty, commanding, and coldly strategic, she wants revenge on the Comte de Gercourt, who once left her for another woman.
The Vicomte de Valmont. A man with a dangerous reputation, now staying at his elderly aunt's château. He has set himself the challenge of winning the famously virtuous Madame de Tourvel, while posing as a man who might be reformed.
Madame de Tourvel. A devout, sincere young wife of twenty-two, married nearly two years, spending the summer with Madame de Rosemonde while her husband is away. She believes Valmont is better than his reputation and hopes to help him mend his ways.
Madame de Volanges. A friend of Madame de Tourvel, who arranged her marriage. She knows Valmont's reputation well and warns her young friend against him, while trusting Merteuil completely.
Madame de Rosemonde. Valmont's aunt, eighty-eight years old but sharp and good-humored, at whose country château Valmont and Madame de Tourvel are both staying. Her property is to pass to Valmont.
Choose your format
Every format includes the reader’s notes, the introduction, the who’s who and the glossary.
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You haven’t read the letter Madame de Volanges is answering, and you won’t need to. The note above her reply tells you what’s going on. Every letter in the book opens this way.
Letter IX
Madame de Volanges to Madame de Tourvel
I have never doubted, my fair young friend, either your friendship for me or your sincere interest in my affairs. It is not for the purpose of clearing up this point—which I hope is forever settled between us—that I reply to your reply; but I cannot avoid discussing with you the subject of the Vicomte de Valmont.
I must admit I never expected to find that name in your letters. What can there be in common between you and him? You do not know this man; where could you have acquired the notion of a libertine’s soul? You speak of his rare candour; ah yes! Valmont’s candour must indeed be very rare. The more false and dangerous in that he is amiable and seductive, he has never from his earliest youth taken one step or said one word without a purpose, and he has never had a purpose but was wicked or criminal. My dear, you know me; you know that among the virtues I have tried to acquire, forbearance is the one I most prize. And so, if Valmont were carried away by impetuous passions; if, like a thousand others, he were seduced by the errors of his age; while I blamed his conduct, I should pity his person and should await in silence the time when some fortunate change would acquire him the esteem of virtuous people. But Valmont is not that kind of man; his conduct is the result of his principles. He calculated all that a man may permit himself in wickedness without compromising himself; and, in order to be cruel and wicked without danger, he chose women for his victims. I will not stop to count those he has seduced; but how many has he not ruined?
In the quiet, retired life which you lead, such scandalous adventures do not reach you. I could tell you some which would make you shudder; but your gaze, as pure as your soul, would be sullied by such pictures; with the certainty that Valmont will never be dangerous to you, you do not need such weapons for your defence. The only thing I have to tell you is that among all the women to whom he has paid attentions, whether successful or no, there is not one but has had reason to complain of him. The Marquise de Merteuil is the single exception to this general rule; she alone was able to resist him and to restrain his wickedness. I must confess that this episode in her life is that which sets her highest in my estimation; and it suffices in the world’s eyes as a full justification for certain imprudences she was reproached with when she was first a widow.1
At all events, my dear, I am authorised by my age, my experience and above all by my friendship, to point out to you that people in society are beginning to notice Valmont’s absence; if it is known that he has spent some time alone with you and his aunt your reputation will be in his hands—the greatest misfortune which can happen to a woman. I advise you to persuade his aunt not to detain him any longer; and if he persists in remaining I think you ought not to hesitate to leave. Why should he remain? What is he doing in that part of the country? If you watch his movements I am sure you will find out that he has simply chosen a convenient place for some evil purpose he is meditating in the neighbourhood. But, since it is impossible to remedy the evil, let us rest satisfied with preserving ourselves from it.
Good-bye, my dear; my daughter’s marriage is postponed for a little while. The Comte de Gercourt, whom we were expecting every day, writes me that his regiment is ordered for Corsica; and since the war still drags on, it will be impossible for him to get away before the winter. It is vexatious; but still it lets me hope that we shall have the pleasure of seeing you at the wedding, and I was sorry it should take place without you. Good-bye; without compliment and without reserve I am entirely yours.
P.S. Mention me to Madame de Rosemonde, whom I love as much as she deserves.
From…, 11th of August, 17—.
Madame de Volanges’s error allows us to see that Valmont like other scoundrels did not reveal his accomplices. (C. de L.).
Letter XI
Madame de Tourvel to Madame de Volanges
Your severe letter would have terrified me, Madame, if I had not fortunately more grounds for confidence than you find for fear. This dangerous Monsieur de Valmont, who must be the terror of all women, appears to have laid down his murderous arms before entering this Château. Far from forming plans here he has not even brought any affectations; and the quality of charm which even his enemies allow him has almost disappeared here, leaving him only good nature. Apparently, the country air has caused this miracle. I can assure you that, although he is constantly with me and even appears to take pleasure in it, he has never let slip a word resembling love, not one of those phrases which all men indulge in, without having—as he has—something to justify it. He never forces one into that reserve which every respectable woman nowadays is compelled to adopt towards the men by whom she is surrounded. He knows how to refrain from misusing the gaiety he creates. Perhaps he overpraises a little; but it is done with such delicacy that he would accustom modesty itself to panegyric. Indeed, if I had a brother, I should wish him to be such as Monsieur de Valmont shows himself here. Many women perhaps would wish him to pay them more marked attentions; I must confess I am infinitely grateful to him for having realised that I am not to be confounded with them.
Continue Letter XI
Certainly this portrait is very different from the one you made me; and yet both may be likenesses at different periods He himself admits he has had many faults and that he has been credited with more. But I have met few men who speak of virtuous women with so much respect, I might almost say, enthusiasm. What you tell me shows that at least in this matter he is not deceitful. His conduct with regard to Madame de Merteuil proves it. He often speaks of her, and always with so much praise and the appearance of so genuine an attachment that, until I received your letter, I thought that what he called the friendship between them was really love. I plead guilty to a hasty judgment here, and I was the more to blame since he himself has often taken the trouble to justify her. I confess that I thought this artifice when it was really honest sincerity on his part. I don’t know; but it seems to me that a man who is capable of so constant a friendship for so estimable a woman cannot be an abandoned libertine. I cannot say if we owe his good conduct here to certain intrigues in the neighbourhood, as you suppose. There are indeed several charming women round about; but he seldom goes out, except in the morning, and then he says he goes shooting. It is true he rarely brings back any game; but he assures me he is unskilful in that exercise. In any case, what he does out of doors does not concern me much; and if I did wish to know, it would only be to have one more reason for sharing your view or bringing you to mine.
As to your proposal that I should take measures to shorten Monsieur de Valmont’s stay here, it appears to me very difficult to presume to ask his aunt not to have her nephew in her house, the more so since she is very attached to him. Yet I promise you, merely from deference and not from necessity, to take the first opportunity of making this request either to her or to him. As to myself, Monsieur de Tourvel knows I have arranged to stay here until he returns and he will rightly enough be surprised at my inconsistency if I change my plans.
This is a very long explanation, Madame, but I thought I owed it to truth to give a favourable account of Monsieur de Valmont, which he appears to stand in great need of with you. I am none the less sensible of the friendship which dictated your advice. I owe to it also the obliging things you say to me about the postponement of your daughter’s marriage. I thank you sincerely; but, however great my pleasure would be in passing that time with you, I would gladly sacrifice it to my desire to see Mademoiselle de Volanges sooner happy, if she can ever be happier than at the side of a mother so worthy of all her tenderness and respect. I share with her these two sentiments which attach me to you and I beg you to receive kindly this assurance of them.
I have the honour to be, etc.
From…, 13th of August, 17—.
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Not with this edition. Every letter’s heading names its writer and, nearly always, its recipient, and a short note before each one tells you why they’re writing and what to notice. The introduction adds five habits: check the heading, ask what each writer hides, watch the dates, read the footnotes, and listen to the voices.
What is a reader’s note, and what does it tell me?
A note of about 100 words, printed under each letter’s heading, before the letter. It says who is writing to whom and why, what the writer wants their reader to believe, and what to notice: a lie, a plan, a date that matters, one of Laclos’s footnotes. Dozens send you to another letter to set beside it: Letter XI’s note sends you back to Valmont’s account in Letter VI.
Will the notes give away the story?
The notes are written so as not to give away later letters. Each one sets up the letter in front of you, using only what has happened up to and including that letter. The who’s who and the glossary cover the whole book, and a few who’s who entries mention turns that come later, so you may prefer to look names up only as they appear.
Which translation is this, and is it complete?
Richard Aldington’s, first published in 1924 as Dangerous Acquaintances, printed complete: all 175 letters in four Parts and the Appendix, with Laclos’s own footnotes signed “C. de L.” His words are not modernized; only obvious printer’s errors in the 1924 printing are corrected, each one listed in A Note on the Text. Each letter’s date keeps the year blanked as “17—”, just as the novel prints it. Aldington calls the heroine Madame de Tourvel; the glossary explains her French title, Présidente.
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