Monday, August 13, 2012

Chapter 36: Dream of Vengeance


Summary
     D’Artagnan really is playing with fire here. Also, he failed to keep his promise to Athos, which was to stay away from Milady. Wow, and I actually thought he had realized how foolish he was being! The next two days, Milady keeps asking d’Artagnan over for dinner. She is likely hurt and wants to raise her self esteem with d’Artagnan’s fawning presence. D’Artagnan does not come, because he is a sadistic jerk. On the third day, however, Milady actually sends him a note via Kitty. After reassuring poor Kitty that he is just playing along to make sure she doesn’t suspect him (yeah, right…how many more excuses?), he goes to dinner at the Place Royale. Milady looks haggard and pale, as if due to sleeplessness or grief. She also plays her part very well, and by the end of the meal, d’Artagnan is once again in love with her. In fact, he confesses his love in an overdramatic way, but it sounds similar to what he had said to Madame Bonacieux so he’s definitely being genuine here. She asks him to prove his love by wreaking vengeance on an enemy of hers, who has hurt her badly. Oh shoot, I think we know where this is going…sure enough, she keeps hinting that it is the Comte de Wardes. Then, just before she reveals his name, d’Artagnan blurts it out. Shut up d’Artagnan, oh my goodness sakes, did you really just do that?! I am appalled. Does he have no impulse-control? Just randomly falling in and out of love, kissing girls, not planning well, showing off incriminating evidence, and blurting out information?

     Unsurprisingly, Milady freaks out, demanding to know how d’Artagnan knows that it was the Comte de Wardes. D’Artagnan manages to escape by saying that the Comte was showing off a ring of hers in a bar the previous night. Milady is so angry that she fails to notice how obvious it is that d’Artagnan is lying through his teeth. D’Artagnan promises to avenge her, even when she proposes that he do so the next day. Unlike Madame Bonacieux before her, Milady says that she loves d’Artagnan in return. Unfortunately for d’Artagnan, her endearments sound cold and fake. D’Artagnan is too overjoyed to mind, however, and alarmingly dips into non-consensual territory as he kisses her repeatedly despite not getting any reciprocation in the kisses. She refuses to act loving or ‘prove her love,’ and actually forces him out the door, bidding him to return at 11:00 pm. Kitty almost has a panic attack when she hears that, but Kitty is the last thing on d’Artagnan’s dumb mind. It is painfully clear that Milady does not love him at all, and in fact Dumas even tells us that she thinks he is an idiot, she is merely using him, and she plans to dispose of him when she is done.  

Reaction
     Yes, I am ticked off by d’Artagnan. I cannot believe someone who makes so many darn blunders never feels the consequences! I would sympathize much more with him if the world functioned as it does in everyday life – some average person pulls a bunch of stupid moves; they pay for it. Also, while Kitty is a nice girl, how mind-bogglingly gullible is she?!? I am amazed that she continues to believe that d’Artagnan cares for her at all. I want to sit the poor girl down, give her a cookie, explain to her how naïve she is acting, and advise her to apply for a job away from Milady and d’Artagnan. Also, is d’Artagnan really going to go through with killing the Comte de Wardes? I hope not! What if he really does love Milady back? That would be distressing.
     My favorite lines were d’Artagnan being romantic. He just sounds so cheesy and pathetic. When Milady says she has an enemy, d’Artagnan replies with “is that possible, my God?--good and beautiful as you are?” Also, when she lies that she loves him back, he says “Oh, you are an angel!” and calls her ‘dear love.’ Dear love? Good? Angel? Where has d’Artagnan even been for the last few chapters? 

1 comment:

glutenfreecupcakes said...

I. Can't. Believe. It. Goodness gracious. Athos needs to tell Aramis and Porthos what's going on and the four of them (plus the servants - don't leave them behind again!) need to get out of there. My love for Milady, my frustration with d'Artagnon, and my pity for Kitty are all increasing.
In other news, Dumas has succeeded in making me very interested in how this whole thing turns out.

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