"Les liaisons dangereuses" introduces the reader to the context and background of the narrative. It begins with a letter from Cécile Volanges to her friend Sophie, revealing her excitement and anxiety about leaving the convent and entering society, as well as her impending marriage. This lighthearted correspondence is juxtaposed with another letter from the Marquise de Merteuil to Valmont, highlighting her manipulative disposition and the schemes she wishes to set into motion against a man who once slighted her. The contrast between Cécile's innocence and Merteuil's calculated wickedness establishes a foundational dynamic for the unfolding story, foreshadowing the complex relationships and moral ambiguities that will dominate the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)