The Three Musketeers Chapter Thirty: D’Artagnan and the Englishman Summary

  • D’Artagnan follows Milady out of the church. She gets in her carriage and drives to St. Germain.
  • He then tracks down Planchet and orders him to fetch two horses from Tréville’s stable and meet him at Athos’s house.
  • When D’Artagnan arrives, Athos is drinking some Spanish wine.
  • D’Artagnan tells him about Porthos’s method of getting equipped.
  • Athos resolves that women with have nothing to do with his equipment.
  • Planchet arrives; the horses are ready to go.
  • D’Artagnan explains to Athos where he (D’Artagnan) is going.
  • Athos assumes that D’Artagnan is in love with the mysterious and beautiful Milady.
  • D’Artagnan protests that he still loves Madame Bonacieux dearly; the only reason he does not save her is because he does not know where she is.
  • Athos opens another bottle of wine as D’Artagnan and Planchet head for St. Germain.
  • D’Artagnan convinces himself that since Milady probably has information regarding Constance, going in search of Milady means possibly saving his true love.
  • On their way, Planchet and D’Artagnan spy Comte de Wardes’s lackey, Lubin. Figuring that Lubin probably doesn’t remember Planchet, D’Artagnan tells Planchet to go talk to him and find out if the Comte de Wardes is alive or dead.
  • Planchet strikes up a conversation while D’Artagnan hides behind a hedge.
  • Milady’s carriage stops in front of the house (where Planchet and Lubin are talking) and she gives orders to her maid. The maid heads over to Planchet and Lubin, but right at that moment Lubin is called back into his own house, leaving Planchet alone on the sidewalk.
  • Mistaking Planchet for Lubin, the maid walks straight up to Planchet and hands him a note for "his master." Planchet is confused, but, being accustomed to obedience, he runs over to D’Artagnan and gives him the note.
  • Milady requests a "walk in the forest" with the gentleman. The letter was intended for the Comte de Wardes, however, and not for D’Artagnan.
  • Planchet reports that the Comte de Wardes is still recovering from his earlier sword fight with D’Artagnan.
  • D’Artagnan congratulates Planchet on a job well done and the two of them jump back on their horses to continue tailing Milady.
  • They find her in her carriage having a heated exchange with a gentleman on horseback. They are speaking English, but D’Artagnan understands the tone of the conversation well enough. He offers Milady his services in dealing with the man’s lack of respect.
  • The man is Milady’s brother (the Lord de Winter), and she appears to be fine with the quarrel.
  • Meanwhile, Milady’s maid is checking out D’Artagnan.
  • D’Artagnan recognizes the Milady’s interlocutor as the Englishman from Amiens. (He’s the one who won D’Artagnan’s horse in a game of dice.)
  • They definitely have a reason to fight. The Englishman is going to bring three friends, and D’Artagnan will do likewise.
  • Of course, our hero will bring Porthos, Aramis, and Athos: his friends are excited for the duel.