The Three Musketeers

by

Alexandre Dumas

The Three Musketeers: Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Because the money from the king eventually runs dry, the three musketeers do what they can to scrape some money together. Eventually, they run out of ideas and have to ask M. de Tréville for an advance on their pay. When that money is almost gone, Porthos uses what is left to gamble with and loses all of it. Desperate, the musketeers do their best to get themselves invited to dinners—often by people for whom they’ve done favors in the past—and then bring along the rest of the group. D’Artagnan appreciates his friends’ efforts and is embarrassed that he cannot do more himself because he does not yet have connections in the city.
The musketeers are not responsible with their money and are broke more often than not. However, their ability to work together and their commitment to sharing with one another allows them to get by. Luckily, they have a lot of connections around town who owe them favors or are willing to take pity on them. If nothing else, the number of people willing to feed them shows how much the musketeers are liked.
Themes
Friendship and Loyalty Theme Icon
Quotes
One night, while sitting in his room and thinking about how to get more money, d’Artagnan receives a knock on his door. Outside is a man who says he has an urgent secret to tell d’Artagnan. D’Artagnan invites him inside. After the door is closed, the man tells d’Artagnan that his wife has been abducted and needs saving. However, the man is reticent with the details of the situation. D’Artagnan repeatedly has to remind the man that it was he who came to d’Artagnan and if he wants his help, then he needs to tell the full story. Eventually the man complies and tells d’Artagnan that his wife works for the queen. He also implies that she has something to do with the alleged affair between the queen and the Duke of Buckingham. It is for this reason that the man suspects his wife was kidnapped.
Now that he is settled in Paris, d’Artagnan finally gets a mission that is fitting for a traditional hero. There is a damsel in distress who needs rescuing. Not only that, but she is connected to the queen. Apparently, there is some merit to the joke Aramis made earlier in the novel about the love life of the queen and the missing woman has something to do with it. 
Themes
Honor  Theme Icon
Literary Devices
The man believes that his wife is being persecuted by the cardinal. He describes the man who he believes is responsible for the kidnapping and d’Artagnan recognizes the description as the stranger from Meung. This excites d’Artagnan, who becomes more eager than ever to help the man. Finally, d’Artagnan gets the man to tell him his name: Monsieur Bonacieux. He also informs d’Artagnan that he is his landlord and believes that d’Artagnan should help him because he’s been so lenient in allowing d’Artagnan to skip paying rent.
Monsieur Bonacieux didn’t knock on d’Artagnan’s door out of pure coincidence. He knows d’Artagnan is connected with the musketeers who are enemies of the cardinal. This opportunity will allow d’Artagnan to kill two birds with one stone; not only can he undertake his first heroic mission, but he can also find the man from Meung.
Themes
Honor  Theme Icon
Additionally, Monsieur Bonacieux shows d’Artagnan a threatening letter he received urging him not to look for his wife. The letter suggests that there will be dire consequences if he does. Despite the danger, d’Artagnan eagerly accepts the job. In addition to free rent, Monsieur Bonacieux also offers him a decent sum of money as a reward for his services. Just as they strike a deal, d’Artagnan looks outside and spots the stranger from Meung. Excited, he jumps up and runs outside to track him down. However, he ultimately has no luck. While looking for the man, d’Artagnan runs into Athos and Porthos. Not wanting to get in d’Artagnan’s way, Athos and Porthos decide to wait in d’Artagnan’s room until he returns.
Monsieur Bonacieux’s letter explains why he came to d’Artagnan rather than any formal authority. The job becomes especially sweet for d’Artagnan when he learns that it could solve his money problem as well. The sudden reappearance of the man from Meung makes d’Artagnan think that his task might be much more straightforward than he initially thought. However, as usual, d’Artagnan loses the stranger, who continues his evasive streak.
Themes
Honor  Theme Icon
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