Saturday, September 8, 2012

Chapter 60: In France


Summary
     The king of England decides to try and conceal the news of the duke’s death from reaching his soldiers, because they would lose their morale. Meanwhile, back at the French camp, the king is getting bored. The cardinal is tired and allows him to go to the festival of St. Louis at St. Germain. M. de Treville accompanies him, and takes the Fearsome Four along to help guard the king. The four are more eager than usual to go to Paris, because they heard word from Aramis’s cousin in a coded letter that said that Madame Bonacieux is ready to be released. After they reach St. Germain, M. de Treville settles the king down, and the Fearsome Four have some free time on their hands. They decide to pool their money together, get horses, and fetch Madame Bonacieux from the convent. As they discuss their plans, d’Artagnan suddenly lets out a cry, drops his wine glass, and runs out of the tavern they are in. The others follow him. They have seen the letter-thief! The man unfortunately gets away, but he drops a letter on which the location he is going to is written – it is Armentieres. They decide not to give chase, and set off at full speed to the convent. They plan to visit Armentieres later and seek the ‘mysterious’ man.

Reaction
     I feel like the Fearsome Four have way too much free time. M. de Treville really is an indulgent mentor! Also, I love how the king acts like a spoiled little child, and the cardinal is like his exasperated mom. Hmm, I’m a bit confused about why d’Artagnan is so hung up on the letter-thief, or, as we know him, the Comte de Rochefort. I mean, we readers already know who he is, and he isn’t a very big deal – just one of the cardinal's many men. D’Artagnan needs to take a deep breath, stay on his guard, and go find Madame Bonacieux. My favorite line is: “"That cursed man, my evil genius, whom I have always met with when threatened by some misfortune, he who accompanied that horrible woman when I met her for the first time, he whom I was seeking when I offended our Athos, he whom I saw on the very morning Madame Bonacieux was abducted. I have seen him; that is he! I recognized him when the wind blew upon his cloak.” Calm down d’Artagnan, won’t you?

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