Dangerous Liaisons, Letter 170 summary
Letter 170 of 177 · 4 min to read the letter
In Letter 170, Madame de Volanges tells Madame de Rosemonde that her daughter leaves home secretly and seeks admission to a convent, claiming a religious vocation but withholding her reasons. She permits her daughter to remain without becoming a postulant and asks for advice, fearing both an unsuitable religious commitment and the loss of an advantageous marriage.
What happens
- Madame de Volanges discovers her daughter is missing and questions servants who cannot explain her departure.
- She suspects a visit to Mme de Merteuil but hesitates to make inquiries that might attract attention.
- Letters from her daughter and the convent superior reveal that the girl seeks a religious life and conceals her reasons.
- At the convent, her daughter insists through tears that she can find happiness only there.
- Madame de Volanges allows her to stay without becoming a postulant and asks Madame de Rosemonde about the threatened marriage.
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In this letter
What to notice
The question expresses her helplessness as a mother. Her efforts cannot settle whether marriage or convent life offers her daughter happiness.
Quick check
What does Madame de Volanges permit her daughter to do?
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