“Viscount de Bragelonne” by A. Dumas in brief summary
… May 1660th. The beginning of the independent rule of the young Louis XIV. The heir to the English throne, Charles II, who lives in exile incognito, meets with his cousin, the king of France, and asks for his support in the restoration of the throne. The powerful Cardinal Mazarin denies Louis funding this plan. King Charles appeals for help to the Count de La Feru – Athos, one of those who proved loyalty to the executed Charles I, standing next to him until the last minute, standing at the foot of his scaffold. Before his death, Charles I told Athos that in the cave of the Newcastle Castle he buried a million gold – his son “for a rainy day”; these funds just enough for the business, now conceived by the heir to the British crown. Simultaneously with Athos, which he does not know, Lieutenant D’Artagnan, who has retired, is sent to England. By mixing cards with each other, by joint efforts they help Charles II to ascend to the throne. The king showered
Ludovic XIV urgently calls D’Artagnan to Paris. Shortly before that Mazarin dies, bequeathing to the king, in addition to a considerable sum of money, his devoted secretary de Colbert, appointed by Louis to the post of quartermaster of finance – the third place in the state after the king himself, superintendent and royal prosecutor Fuke. The service of his Colbert begins with the death penalty for abusing two friends Fouque and denouncing the king that Fouquet is spending money from the treasury, strengthening Bell-Ile, a fortress on the coast. The war with England is not included in the calculations of the king; therefore, this is an excessive waste! The king sends d’Artagnan to inspect Belle-Ile. To D’Artagnan’s astonishment, these works are led by Aramis and Porthos. Having sent Porthos with a letter to Fouquet, Aramis hurried after him. “No doubt, that D’Artagnan sent a king to Belle-Ile, “reports Aramis Fouquet. “I have no doubt that this is Colbert’s intrigue.” “What should I tell the king?” Fouquet
Fouquet follows the wise advice of his Eminence, in addition giving more than a half million livres to the wedding of Prince Philip, Duke of Orleans. In addition, Fouquet shows the king the fortification plans of Belle-Ile – the very ones behind which the brave D’Artagnan traveled to Brittany. Arriving in the Louvre, he is hurt: “My king does not trust me?” “On the contrary, I appoint you captain of the Musketeers!” …
The son of Athos Viscount Raul de Bragelon in the retinue of the court meets in Le Havre Princess Henriette, sister of the King of England and sister-in-law of the King of France. The flirtatious princess inflames the flame of love in the hearts of the Duke of Buckingham and the Count de Guiche accompanying her. Soon it ceases to be a secret for the court. If you remove Buckingham in England is not difficult, it is much more difficult to deal with subjects of Louis XIV. The Viscount de Bragelonne involuntarily overhears de Guiche’s conversation with the Viscount de Wardes, which speaks too frivolously not only of the princess, but of d’Artagnan as well. “In the heart of Guiche, you instill a passion for the bride of his master,” Raoul comments to de Vardo, “you want to restore me against my father’s close friend.” In a quarrel between Raoul and de Varde, Buckingham, who is leaving France, will intervene, where dueling is prohibited: he is at the service of de Vardo! In a duel on the sea shore, both are seriously wounded. Buckingham returns to London, de Wardes heals wounds away from Paris, restraining his impatience to return there as soon as possible.
They inflicted another wound on Raul. Attacking the honor of D’Artagnan, de Varde insulted Raoul and Athos at the same time: “Nobody knows from which parents the Viscount de Bragelon, adopted by the Count de La Fere, was born.” As for the Chevalier d’Artagnan, he once destroyed one noble the lady my father loved. ” “This lady, usually called Milady,” says the furious Athos, “has attacked D’Artagnan’s life three times and put a knife in the hand of Buckingham’s killer!” She was a criminal… “
In addition to all these shocks, Raoul is upset that the king advised Athos to postpone his wedding day with Louise de Lavalier, the maid of honor of Princess Henrietta. Fatal way this solution coincides with the conversation of the king and the princess, complaining to His Majesty on the jealous spouse. To put an end to gossip, the king has only one means: to take the princess under his protection. Suddenly – as it happens only among royalty – between him and his daughter-in-law flashes more than akin to a feeling… But in this case, a decent cover is needed. It turns itself on: let the court think that the king postponed the marriage of Viscount de Bragelona, having views of Louise.
De Bragelonne goes to Calais with letters to Charles II from his sister and Fouquet. Before leaving, on an audience with Princess Henrietta, he laments: for a month already, as the king put off his wedding, he burns with love. “How? A month already?” – The princess is surprised. So the king had lied to her! So, he loves her maid of honor for a month already! ..
Meanwhile, the young king’s favorable gaze was enough to give birth to love in Louise’s soul, incomparable with the sympathies she had hitherto felt for her fiancé. She confesses to the king in this sense of hers. The king is flattered and ready to reciprocate her. As luck would have it, it was at this moment that Aramis, wishing to strengthen Fouquet’s influence on the king, gave him the idea to write a love letter to Louise and make her a rich gift: in politics all means are good. “I want to see on the throne of the king, who will be betrayed to Mr. Fouquet, who in turn will be loyal to me.” “I have the power to do this.” As for your, Mr. Fouquet, my beloved, Madame de Belleur, she will explain everything, and she will not doubt you… “
Aramis really has power above money and position at court. D’Artagnan learns about his secret financial relations with the commandant of the Bastille Bastmo, that Besmoth was actually bought by Aramis, that in Bastille there is a mysterious prisoner named Marciali imprisoned by Cardinal Mazarin, who is much better, but also stricter than other prisoners. Who is he? And what connects him to Aramis? ..
In Fontainebleau, not far from the residence of the king, seven important persons settle in the hotel – each with a retinue. The last in the “Red Peacock” stop at the post Aramis and an old Franciscan monk. All these people, including the Bishop of Vannes, the ex-Musketeer, are members of the Jesuit Order. The monk is a general of the order, called upon to appoint, on the eve of his death, his successor. Each of the candidates must inform him privately the secret, on which not only the future of the Order depends, but also the destinies of Europe. The choice falls on Aramis: he owns a truly great and terrible secret. The witness of the funeral of the monk is “Artagnan.” The presence at the burial of Aramis further inflames his curiosity…
Aramis is annoyed. D’Artagnan intervened in his affairs in Belle-Ile, and now he also presents to His Majesty the excellent engineer and cartographer of Porthos, under the patronage of the captain of the Musketeers, who receives the high title! D’Artagnan, and for the Bishop of Vannes, manages to put in a word to the king. “You will become a cardinal,” promises Aramis to Louis XIV, “and thank Mr. Fouquet for his diligence.”
Plans Aramis abruptly change: we must return a letter to Fouquet to Louise de Lavalier. But Louise claims that she did not receive a letter. So the letter is stolen by someone? And for what purpose? Is there any new political intrigue behind this?
Oils to the fire of the King’s heated passion for Louise adds a duel de Guiche with the return to Paris de Bard. De Warde informed Raul that the radiant look of His Majesty was now turned not to the princess, but to her lady-in-waiting. Offended not only two ladies, but the young Viscount de Bragelonne. Opponents in the duel heavily wounded each other. The king learns that the duel happened because of Louise. This is a scandal! The Queen Mother, Princess Henrietta and the young queen are doubly doubled: “Madame de Lavalier must be removed away from the capital.” Louise’s sweeping of the King takes for cooling: “Does she still love de Bragelona?!” Louise fled in desperation from the palace and disappears into the monastery of the Carmelites. D’Artagnan finds an opportunity to inform his master about this: he must not suffer to his subjects because of the whims of their master. The king begs Louise for forgiveness.
De Bragelonne in London receives just two letters. The first is from de Guiche: “I’m wounded, sick, soon come back.” Second – anonymous: “The lock of your love is besieged.” In addition, Charles II was informed by his sister: “We must immediately send de Bragelon to Paris.”
De Guiche tries to reassure his friend: there are all sorts of gossip, but, believe me, it really is about the things of the innocent. D’Artagnan, in response to the inquiries of de Bragelon about what was happening in Paris in his absence, is indignant: “Do you really want me to instill disgust at your dear and teach you to curse the women, which is the happiness of our life?” A friend of Louise Ora Montale sends Raul for all the information to their mistress, Princess Henriette. The Princess leads him to the rooms of Louise and shows a secret staircase, a hatch to his bride’s bedroom and her portrait painted by the order of the king.
Raul intends to fight a duel with the Marquis Saint-Enjan, implicated in this story. Saint-Ayan in fear turns to the King’s mercy – His Majesty promises everything is easy to settle. Alas, everything is not so simple. The king comes to Athos: “Your honor is the honor of the nobility, why did you need to remove the viscount to London?” – “You forget: before you is your king!” – “And you forget that building your own happiness on someone else’s broken, you – a deadly sin! ..” Athos breaks the sword on the knee and puts it at the feet of the king, choking with anger and shame. Not two people – two eras of France are facing this evening in the Louvre…
The shadow of the past time is at the same hour to the Aramis Duchess de Chevreuse. She saw Aramis at the funeral of a Franciscan monk, she is a secret agent of the Jesuit Order, she returned to Paris to restore her wasted state. She has letters from Mazarin, from which it follows that Fouquet once borrowed thirteen million from the treasury. The Duchess offers Aramis to redeem her letters – but receives a firm refusal.
Aramis hastens to inform Fuke about this visit. Fouquet is crushed by the message of Aramis: he managed to sell this morning to his mistress’s husband, Mr. Vanel, one of the occupied places at the court, in its present position the most important – the place of the prosecutor. Aramis and Fouquet are begging Vanel to replay the case – he persists. They offer him twice as much. A withered piece of paper falls out of Vanel’s wallet. This is a draft of his deal with Fouquet, written by Colbert’s hand – Fouquet’s death sentence and at the same time a decree on the occupation of Colbert’s post in France…
The Duchesse de Chevreuse visits Colbert, who buys Mazarin’s letters from her, and then enters the queen’s quarters. The Duchess is the guardian of her secret, the secrets of the second heir to King Louis XIII, the second Dauphin, the twin brother of the now ruling Louis XIV, the unfortunate prisoner of the Bastille. “What can I pay for the years of your exile, your heart torment?” asks the weeping Anne of Austria. “Visit my estate, it’s true, it has fallen into decay, we need funds to restore it.” – “You do not have to worry about this…”
D’Artagnan sets before the king an ultimatum: either his resignation – or pardon of the impudent Athos and the guarantee of the inviolability of Aramis and Porthos. Reluctantly, the king gives the floor to the captain of the Musketeers. Athos is retiring. Raoul, after a sincere conversation with Louise and her confession of eternal love for the king, goes on an African expedition.
The royal retinue visits Fouquet in his castle in Vaud. Aramis, using the services of the commandant of the Bastille, abducts a prisoner named Marciali from prison, and in his place with the help of Porthos is the king of France, stolen from the chambers in the castle of Fouquet. Fouquet, dedicated to Aramis last night, exclaims: “It does not change anything!” The King makes a retinue! “D’Artagnan already knows about everything! Run to Belle-Ile!” As soon as Aramis and Porthos depart from the castle, Fouque unfolds a stormy activity for the liberation of the king. The one who ruled France less than twenty-four hours is exiled forever to prison on the island of St. Margaret.
Instead of gratitude to Fouquet for his deliverance, the king is burning with anger towards an imaginary rival in love. Colbert portrays Fouquet in the eyes of the king as a cowardly embezzler. D’Artagnan was ordered to arrest Fouquet. He is forced to obey; but, learning that, in fulfillment of another order, the musketeers staged a pogrom in the house of Fouque, where the king was staying, and thus covered themselves with shame, exclaims: “Your Majesty branded his faithful servants with dishonor!” He again asks for his resignation, but in return receives a new command from the king: to overtake the refugees in Bel-Ile and take them into custody. “You have bridled me, sire,” D’Artagnan acknowledges with a sigh, “that you have belittled me in my own eyes, but what to say about it, my honor is the past… you are the master, I am your slave…”
Everything comes to an end; there is it in the history of the three Musketeers and d’Artagnan.
Porthos dies in Belle-Ile, crushed by the wreckage of the cave, in which he lured almost a hundred soldiers sent by the king, and blew up the powder depot. Aramis managed to escape; a few years later he will return to his homeland from Spain under the name of the Duke of D’Alamez. Colbert, to whom Aramis represents his successor in the rank of general of the Jesuits, will become the first minister. Fooke save life by replacing the scaffold with a link. Returned by the king from exile and de Guiche. To retired Athos at the hour of death is his son, who ascends to the starry sky: that news of Raoul’s death in the war.
The two tombs will often come Louise, crying for irretrievable happiness. D’Artagnan, who met her once in the family crypt La Vera, will be on a campaign against Holland killed on the battlefield by a cannonball. The weakening hand of the hero for the first time will squeeze the marshal’s baton, sent to him on the eve of the fight de Colbert.