Chapter 45: A Conjugal Scene

Summary

     Porthos and Aramis walk the cardinal back to camp without any suspicion being cast on them. Meanwhile, Athos sneaks back to the tavern. YES. IT IS HAPPENING. He knows that Milady has not left yet. He lies to the owner of the tavern, taking advantage of the fact that the owner had seen him with the cardinal earlier, and is granted access to Milady’s chamber. He confronts her, at first hiding his face with his cloak and then DRAMATICALLY revealing it! She gasps, also theatrically. They refer to Athos as the Comte de la Fere, so I suppose that’s his real name. Dang, he’s a Comte too! Those Comte fellows always mean trouble. Milady’s real name turns out to be Anne de Breuil. Ironic! The queen, her polar opposite, is also named Anne! Athos and Milady stare at each other in terror and horror, and Milady reveals her plan to kill Madame Bonacieux and d’Artagnan, and tells him that the cardinal has given her permission to do so. In turn, Athos tells her than he knows all about the diamond studs and her spy role for the cardinal. She is livid. Then, he orders her to give him the note of permission that the cardinal gave her. To add some incentive, he places a pistol to her forehead and starts to squeeze the trigger. Milady now obviously has no choice, and she does as he says. She desperately wants to get the cardinal to get rid of him, but he knows her secret – the brand of the fleur-de-lis – and she knows that he will not hesitate to use it as blackmail. For his part, Athos casually walks back into camp and updates his friends on the Milady situation. They all get broody and thoughtful. Milady is also upset even as she sets out by ship on her new spy mission to kill the duke.

Reaction

     Athos is an exceedingly terrifying person. However, I’m glad that they just didn’t kiss and make up or something forgiving like that; it would ruin the exciting turn the plot has taken recently. Suspenseful and short chapter again! My favorite line is “‘You must be Satan!’ cried she. ‘Perhaps,’ said Athos.” I love how Athos has continued to come up with intense one-liners in the last few chapters.