The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Finally! Our musketeers return to center stage. Athos and d'Artagnan try to comfort the suffering Raoul, while each knowing in different ways that they can't really do anything. Typically, d'Artagnan has another agenda that he covers up. Louise and Raoul have a final confrontation, during which she accuses him of being "too perfect". Some of us can relate. At least he doesn't decide to kill himself or rush off to war (at least not yet.)

Athos shows the same calm he had way back in The Three Musketeers when he coolly faced death or gambled everything on one throw of the dice. D'Artagnan shows the same resourcefulness he brought to his earlier adventures by arranging an escape for Athos. We end up with a surprise dinner at the Bastille. In this case, Aramis' presence is less of a coincidence than it might seem, since we know he makes regular visits there.

Dumas manages his storytelling with cuts back and forth between characters. We saw last time how Athos spoke to the king. Now Dumas goes back and fills in what happened first. Later, we see the dinner at the Bastille and d'Artagnan leaving, and we follow him, then return.

Do you think it's a strength of Louis that he withstands 2 lectures in one day and doesn't order everyone hanged for treason? We can compare Athos' style with that of d'Artagnan, the first calm and saddened, the second dramatic and confrontational. At the end Louis admits he is still young and learning how to be king.

It seems psychologically correct that Louise put off telling Raoul that she loved someone else. He was away, so why invite trouble? She is also very young and has zero experience dealing with relationships. Raoul is at least somewhat right that he has some responsibility here, for assuming from early on that she would always want what he wanted.

It’s interesting that Raoul and Athos discuss the idea of revenge. When Athos asks about LaValliere, Raoul tells him he could never dream of revenging himself upon a woman. This scene made me think of Milady and how different Athos’ reaction might have been if he had experienced such infidelity in his youth.
I must admit I would have had more respect for Raoul if he had been furious with Louise. He should have publicly thrown her out of his apartment when she went to see him. I find her very annoying - she strings him along for years and then completely forgets about him when the king gives her some attention. I guess she doesn’t realize how disposable she is to the king. It’s ridiculous that she tells Raoul he should love her as a brother. That’s just a silly way of saying ‘let’s just be friends’.
She’s by no means obligated to reciprocate his feelings, but she should have rejected his offer of marriage in the first place. And when he wrote her numerous times from London she should have just told him she doesn’t love him any more. I know she’s young, but she’s no fool. She’s just as manipulative as most ladies at court - only her game was always pretending to be shy and innocent. 😇 I think she was planning to marry Raoul once her affair was over. That’s why she kept him in the dark. And that’s why she ran away from him when he first returned from London. She didn’t face him until after St Agnan told her he already knows the whole truth. Anyway, I hope the king dumps her. She deserves it.

It’s amazing how all chapters with the original Musketeers are so much livelier and much more interesting. I wish Dumas had written this book so the 4 friends would be in every chapter instead of just make occasional appearances.

I wondered if Dumas himself wrote this part and he outsourced the sections about court intrigue, which come from diaries of the time.

I think he might have. It definitely felt like it was written better than some other parts of the book.

Sorry, I had read the chapters during the weekend last week already, but was somehow not inspired to write anything about them. But I have at least finally finished The Bostonians which I had started with the Group last year. I was also very busy at work and felt a little exhausted in the evenings.

But back to these chapters. It was fun to see also d’Artagnan challenging the king and even getting a release of Athos out of it. These chapters have much more flow to them.

Ana, I know exactly what you mean by the scene Louise telling Raoul to love her like a brother. It seems a little pathetic, and still have we not more or less all be in such a situation or seen it. I think it was nice of her, though, that she after all stepped up in order to talk to Raoul after all that had happened. She did not completely shy away from this confrontation. I agree with you that she should never have agreed to that marriage, but on the other hand she was very young and especially in those days making a good match was essential for a young girl. This fact and his flattery since her childhood might have made her feel something that she considered to be love, until she really felt something more passionate for the king. I still compare these affairs and relations more with a high school/ college drama.

What else happened in these chapters? They seem already so far away to me, but they are getting more intriguing again. I have only started the chapters for this week and will try to finish these tonight or tomorrow. Hopefully, I will then post a little faster.

Hedi, I agree - the Raoul and Louise affair definitely feels like high school/ college drama.
Also, great point that she may not have realized she wasn’t truly in love with him. I never considered that possibility. I assumed she was more manipulative, but she may just be dazed and confused.
I guess given her age we can’t expect too much maturity out of her. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I forgot that Raoul was almost 10 years older than her.