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Chapter 54
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Three Musketeers, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Friendship and Loyalty
Honor
Class and Power
The Secrets of the Past
Seduction and Romance
Summary
Analysis
The next day, when Felton goes to check on Milady, he finds her making a noose. Genuinely concerned, Felton urges her not to take her own life. Milady tells Felton that she doesn’t see what other choice she has. Milady continues to tempt Felton with a secret about her that she’s yet to reveal to him. He asks her to tell him about herself, but before she can, Lord de Winter comes into the cell. He looks at Felton and wonders whether Milady’s managed to corrupt him after all.
Milady’s actions are entirely calculated. She never considers using the noose; she only wants Felton to see her with it so that he thinks her death wish is genuine. Of course, Felton falls right into her trap. However, before she can do anything too sinister, Lord de Winter arrives and cuts off any further conversation between the two of them.
Themes
Lord de Winter asks Felton what Milady was asking for and he replies honestly and says that she wants a knife. Although Lord de Winter is concerned for Felton, he tells him to stay strong for just a few more days. Meanwhile, Milady is more than pleased with her progress. Later, Felton returns and tells Milady that he wants to hear what happened to her in the past. He promises to return at midnight with a knife if she will tell him the truth. Milady agrees to the deal. She is ecstatic because she has Felton right where she wants him.
Despite what his mind is telling him, Lord de Winter chooses to trust Felton. Unfortunately, he is wrong to do so. It appears that Felton is almost completely under Milady’s spell after only a few short days.
Themes
