Chapter 7: The Interior of “The Musketeers”

Summary

     D’Artagnan asks his new friends what he should do with his share of the money the king gave him. Each friend has a different answer; Athos advises him to feast on excellent food, Porthos tells him to get a servant, and Aramis, surprisingly, counsels him to get a mistress. Okay, then! D’Artagnan sagely ignores the last piece of advice, but follows the first two. Athos orders a wonderful, fancy meal for d’Artagnan, and Porthos gets him a servant. Aramis doesn’t get him a mistress, because that would be strange. Porthos finds a servant for d’Artagnan on a bridge. He apparently is impressed with his find, because he takes him home and gives him to d’Artagnan.  The servant is named Planchet. He agrees to go with Porthos thinking he will be Porthos’s servant, and is slightly disappointed to find out he will serve d’Artagnan.

     The chapter then delves into d’Artagnan’s efforts to find out information about the three Musketeers. He is able to find out little about Athos. Athos, as we know, is tall, handsome, and noble. He is unexpectedly young (not even thirty), taciturn, and has some secret sorrow. He also doesn’t seem to like women, though he does not stop his friends from talking about them in his presence. His servant is named Grimaud, and they communicate entirely in gestures, with no words exchanged. Horrifyingly, Dumas says he ‘thrashes’ his servant if he does not listen to him – we can only hope that is a metaphor or a verbal thrashing. D’Artagnan also, from being friends with Athos, observes that he is very generous, and is able to have fun despite his melancholy secret.  He also has a sword that he is very proud of and which he refuses to take off his wall, even when he has monetary trouble and could pawn it to help himself. The monetary trouble may be due to his failures at gambling, which he quite frankly sucks at. Also, he is willing to give the rest of the Fearsome Four anything he owns (except the sword) and would do anything for them (except give them the sword). Overall, he seems a bit broody and creepy, but an actual gentleman and a good friend.

     D’Artagnan finds it easy to get information about Porthos, because the guy talks plenty, whether or not anyone is listening. His servant used to be named Boniface, but Porthos changed it to Mousqueton, which just sounds adorable. Porthos and Mousqueton have a deal; if Porthos keeps Mousqueton dressed in the best fashion, Mousqueton will gladly be his servant. So Porthos has his personal tailor make Mousqueton magnificent clothes in the latest fashion out of Porthos’s old clothes, skillfully stitching and decorating them so they look brand new. D’Artagnan knows about Porthos’s love life in detail also, because Porthos says he has many girlfriends, and one is even a princess. Every time he passes his apartment with his friends, he points to the windows (and Mousqueton inside) and tells them how nice it is, but none of his friends has ever actually been in it. Also, Porthos is the one who tells d’Artagnan all that he knows about Athos.

     Aramis, as we know, is a tidy, neat, beautiful man, rather shorter and stouter than his companions. He tells d’Artagnan about Porthos a bit, but does not talk much about himself. He claims to not be interested in a love life, since he wants to be an abbe someday. However, d’Artagnan points out what I had been thinking – what about the lady’s handkerchief in Athos’s possession? Athos explains it away smoothly, but I for one am suspicious. This man is the same person who suggested d’Artagnan buy a mistress! Aramis also is a buzzkill at Fearsome Four parties. He keeps leaving to read religious texts or study just when the party is getting fun, as if to prove his piety. Luckily for him, he has supportive friends, who are gracious when he leaves and do not complain about his behavior. His servant is a religious fellow, who is also blind, deaf, and mute (edit: this was actually just an odd metaphor, he is actually perfectly able-bodied). His name is Bazin, and he respects Aramis due to his faith.

     D’Artagnan soon has problems with Planchet, who wants a higher salary. After taking the advice of his friends, d’Artagnan first beats him, and then speaks kindly and persuasively about why he should stay. This ridiculous tactic works and Planchet is happy being d’Artagnan’s servant now. Meanwhile, the Fearsome Four grow even closer, and cannot spend half a day without seeing each other. So, when d’Artagnan takes his new position as a guard, his friends visit him so often they practically become guards also.

Reaction

     Whoa. Whoa. Whooooa. I’m having a really difficult time processing certain parts of this chapter. Athos physically beats up his servant when the unfortunate Grimaud makes a mistake?!? That is incredibly wrong, and not noble at all. D’Artagnan really should not try to emulate Athos – poor Planchet. I hope Dumas was trying to be funny or exaggerating in these sections, but I doubt it. Regardless, I feel like Dumas consistently puts the Fearsome Four in a sphere above morals, where their behavior is good and just because they are fundamentally ‘good.’ This attitude bothers me.

     What does not bother me is the friendship shown in this chapter. It was sweet to see how much they all care for each other, and I hope they continue to do so. This chapter was important, from Dumas’s perspective, to confirm that the Fearsome Four are friends for life, so the plot can move ahead with them established as a unit. So far, my favorites are Porthos and d’Artagnan. I like Porthos because for all his boasting and swagger, he’s very funny and as of now is the nicest character. And you know I’ve enjoyed d’Artagnan’s character from Chapter 1. To me, Aramis is a bit dull and holier-than-thou, and Athos is shady.

     My favorite lines were about Porthos finding Planchet for d’Artagnan: “He was a Picard, whom the glorious Musketeer had picked up on the Bridge Tournelle, making rings and splashing in the water. Porthos pretended that this occupation was proof of a reflective and contemplative organization, and he had brought him away without any other recommendation.” So basically he picked up a random hobo to be d’Artagnan’s servant? Oh, Porthos.