These chapters include some of the most exciting intrigues in the entire novel. They are compellingly narrated, demonstrating Dumas’s genius as a storyteller.
Chapter 34 is constructed like an interlude, showing how Aramis receives a mysterious letter delivered by a beggar who demands that Aramis show proof of identification. It turns out that the beggar is really a Spanish nobleman. Remember that the queen (Anne of Austria) is Spanish and that her closest friend, Madame de Chevreuse, has been exiled to Tours; since the Spanish noblemen are enemies of France, we must assume that the beggar is also a close friend of the queen and Madame de Chevreuse. Aramis is ecstatic over the letter and declares his love for her. Once again, love and intrigue are inextricably intertwined in this novel.
Meanwhile, love has also entangled the usually placid Porthos. He has “used” love to threaten his mistress who, in her miserliness, tried to give Porthos an ugly nag, the one that belonged to d’Artagnan when he first came to Paris. Finally, however, her infatuation, devotion, and love for Porthos makes her relent and, through the power of love, both Aramis and Porthos obtain their military equipment, even though the means are quite different.
D’Artagnan’s entanglement with love is also comic—even if his life is at stake. Before de Wardes is due to rendezvous with Milady, she insists that all of the lights be out. This might seem like an amateurish way for Dumas to have d’Artagnan accomplish his deception; but ultimately, Dumas is creating this scene exactly as a shrewd woman might prepare for a rendezvous. Milady wants the room darkened so that her lover will not be able to see that she has a fleur-de-lis branded on one of her shoulders; she musn’t allow anyone to know that she is a branded, convicted criminal. Only later, when Milady and d’Artagnan make love until daylight and he accidentally tears her gown, is her dreadful secret exposed. Furiously, she vows to kill d’Artagnan—primarily so that she can protect her dreadful secret. Most men would not be so obsessed with such a wicked woman, but d’Artagnan is entrapped in a typical love/hate dichotomy wherein he is so strongly attracted to Milady’s physical beauty that he cannot face the reality of her corruption. He is a very young man, and he wants Milady to love him for himself. He is sure that he is more handsome than de Wardes—he has a better body, he is stronger, prouder, and he is a better swordsman. In his youth and vanity, d’Artagnan cannot believe that Milady would really prefer someone else.
In Chapter 35, when Athos realizes that the sapphire ring with the diamond facets is the same one that he gave to his late wife (don’t forget that he thinks he hanged her), he can surmise only that either she sold the ring or that, somehow, Milady gained possession of it. At this point, it does not occur to him that Milady is his wife. It is only after d’Artagnan describes her and the fleur-de-lis branded on her shoulder that Athos realizes that this evil, wicked woman is the same evil woman whom he cast aside long ago.
