- Valmont: You want me to seduce a little girl, who has seen nothing, who knows nothing, who'll probably flop on her back out of simple curiosity? You don't need *me* for *that*. Anyone can do that.
- Valmont: You must be an exceptional woman.
- Madame de Tourvel: No, not exceptional. Why?
- Valmont: Love a husband, and he's never there.
- Madame de Tourvel: Do you married, Mr. Valmont?
- Valmont: No, I'm in love.
- Madame de Tourvel: You're in love?
- Valmont: Yes.
- Madame de Tourvel: Then why aren't you with her?
- Valmont: I am with her. I'm talking to her right now.
- Madame de Volanges: Did I show you the cabinet I gave Cecile? It's an exquisite piece. Well, I told her: "You can lock all your secrets in there." Do you know what she said? "Maman, you know it will never be locked." Isn't that the sweetest thing a daughter can say to her mother?
- Mertuil: Oh! Yes, yes.
- Madame de Volanges: Well, it's locked.
- Mertuil: Oh.
- Madame de Volanges: I have a duplicate key of course.
- Mertuil: Of course.
- Baroness: Are you hinting that I could be unfaithful to my husband?
- Valmont: Not now. But if you were alone...
- Madame de Tourvel: Monsier Valmont, you simply don't understand women.
- Baroness: You're right. Look, if a woman wants a little adventure, she doesn't need to be alone.
- [looking straight at her husband]
- Baroness: She can manage it perfectly well right under her husbands nose.
- Madame de Rosemonde: Ah, my sweet girl. If I understand what these people have been saying, you have a dilemma.
- Cecile: I do?
- Madame de Rosemonde: Tell me, if it were up to you, would you rather marry that Monsieur de... eh...
- Mertuil: Gercourt.
- Madame de Rosemonde: Exactly, Gercourt. Or the other one? The one with the harp.
- Cecile: Well, I... I... I'll do whatever my Maman wants me to do.
- Valmont: But that is not what my aunt is asking you. Forget Maman. If you had the choice, who would you pick? You, yourself?
- Cecile: Oh! I... I... I guess I would marry Monsieur de Gercourt, and... keep Monsieur Danceny for a lover?
- Mertuil: [to Valmont] You must have a lot of courage, Visconte, to come here after you sent that lunatic harp teacher to kill me.
- Madame de Tourvel: This letter is from a close friend of mine. "All his life, Monsieur de Valmont has been and is a consummate master of the art of seduction. Hundreds of women, and I am not exaggerating Madame, have paid for it. He has charmed his countless victims designing his every gesture, every word, every smile in a cold-blooded scheme that has only one squalid end: to destroy the woman's honor." Is this true?
- Valmont: Who wrote that?
- Madame de Tourvel: Is it?
- [no response]
- Madame de Tourvel: Monsieur de Valmont, don't waste your time on me. I am not, and I never will be, one of those women.
- Valmont: I know that.
- Madame de Tourvel: So, why do you keep trying?
- Madame de Volanges: Cecile! Martine!
- Martine: Yes, Madame?
- Madame de Volanges: Where is Cecile?
- Martine: [nervously] Cecile? She's... she... she has...
- Madame de Volanges: Where is she?
- [Martine can't form an answer; Volanges, unable to find Cecile, rings for José]
- Madame de Volanges: José, have you been at your post all night?
- José: Yes, madame.
- Madame de Volanges: Has anyone come in?
- José: No, Madame.
- Madame de Volanges: Martine?
- Martine: [fearfully] Yes, Madame?
- Madame de Volanges: Did she go and see that music teacher?
- Martine: [hysterically] I don't know, Madame. She doesn't talk to me anymore. She only talks to Madame de Merteuil now. And she... she...
- [Volanges turns to leave, Martine faints]
- Mertuil: It's really sweet to see Cecile so excited about her marriage.
- Madame de Volanges: Oh, yes, yes. She's excited, very excited. It almost has me worried.
- Mertuil: Why?
- Madame de Volanges: Well, she's been at that convent since she was *eleven*. She's so innocent. So unprepared.
- Mertuil: Well, as long as her husband doesn't mind.
- Madame de Volanges: Oh, no! On the contrary, he seems obsessed by her purity and virginity.
- Mertuil: Cecile, that man is very bad for a young lady's reputation. Your mother shouldn't even know he was in our box.
- Madame de Volanges: Oh, my dear. I'd love you to spend some time with Cecile. She could learn so much from you. I want her to enter this marriage as innocent as she is - and as wise as you are.
- Mertuil: Oh, you flatter me.
- Madame de Tourvel: Sometimes my friends tell me I'm naive.
- [clutches her chest]
- Madame de Tourvel: But, I'm not so silly that I don't see what you want.
- Valmont: Yes? What do I want?
- Madame de Tourvel: If you don't stop talking that way, we can't be friends.
- Mertuil: You know, little Cecile, she - she reminds me so much of myself when I was 15. She's naive, innocent, - pure.
- Valmont: Yes?
- Mertuil: I want you to put an end to it. I want you to take her virginity. I want Gercourt to discover on his wedding night, that he didn't get there first. I want to make him the laughingstock of Paris.
- Madame de Volanges: Do you know what I found? Letters. Love letters.
- Mertuil: From?
- Madame de Volanges: From her miserable music teacher.
- Mertuil: That little boy?
- Madame de Volanges: That little snake!
- Valmont: What do you want to wager?
- Mertuil: Anything you want.
- Valmont: You. Your body.
- Mertuil: And if you lose?
- Valmont: Anything you want.
- Mertuil: I want you to shut yourself in a monastery, anoint yourself with ashes and repent for all your sins.
- Valmont: I accept.
- Mertuil: Good night, my little monk. I'm afraid you'll be very lonely. Remember me in your prayers sometime.
- Madame de Volanges: Why are you locking your cabinet?
- Cecile: Is it locked?
- Madame de Volanges: Give me the key.
- Cecile: I don't know where it is.
- Madame de Volanges: It's hanging round your neck.
- Madame de Tourvel: Monsieur de Valmont, I know some women might be weak, but, believe me, there are women who will always be true.
- Baron: Nonsense! A true woman is a contradiction in terms.
- Valmont: Not always. I believe that some women stay true. I find them fascinating.
- Mertuil: Men usually do.
- Madame de Tourvel: I've noticed that.
- Madame de Tourvel: I would never tell you what to do. But, please, go away. Please, please go away. I know I should be the one to leave. And I know it's my duty, but I haven't the strength. I can't go on like this. When I sit down, you sit next to me. When I speak, you answer. I blush in your company, and everybody sees it. But, then, when - when I am alone... oh... Please, go away. I beg you. Please. Please go.
- Valmont: Is that what you want?
- Madame de Tourvel: Do you want me to say - that I don't want you to leave? I can't say that. I can't!
- Madame de Tourvel: Don't move. I'll prepare something for you. I'll wait on you. I want to serve you.
- Madame de Tourvel: Sleep. Sleep on. Let me just stay here and look at you. Night after night, I had to close my eyes to see your face.