Character Analysis
Danceny is Cécile's emotionally needy music teacher. Still very young, he falls for his student and begins a secret correspondence with her. Often his letters speak of his concern that Cécile doesn't love him as much as he loves her. Anything less than constant reassurance seems to send him into despair. Sample letter:
Ah, my Cécile, you don't know, you will never know how much you have made me suffer today, how I suffer still at this moment. Do you imagine that I can live without your love? […] in depriving me you condemn me to torture which, like my love, will only cease with my life. (2.46.2-3)
Drama much? In his defense, though, like Cécile, he has no idea he's being used in a game. He doesn't see the subtle encouragements from Valmont to pursue Cécile, for what they are. He doesn't know his letters to his sweetie aren't being delivered. He doesn't recognize the deceit in Madame de Merteuil's later seduction him. He's young, impulsive, and impressionable.
He has his honor, however. When he learns from the Marquise that Valmont tricked him, he challenges the man to a duel and wins. And when he learns from the dying Valmont what Merteuil has been doing, he releases all her incriminating letters to the public, where they're passed around like the latest issue of the National Enquirer. Danceny re-enlists in his knightly order and leaves for Malta to take vows of celibacy.