The Three Musketeers · Chapter
Author's Preface explained
The author describes discovering the Memoirs of M.
What happens
The author describes discovering the Memoirs of M. d'Artagnan in the Royal Library while researching his History of Louis XIV, and later finding a manuscript titled Memoirs of the Comte de la Fère that contains the names Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. He obtains permission to publish this manuscript as the basis for the story.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter marks the dramatic climax because Milady achieves a psychological breakthrough, successfully brea…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingCharacters to notice
- D'Artagnan
Mentioned as the author of the Memoirs that the narrator discovers.
- Athos
Name found in the manuscript Memoirs of the Comte de la Fère.
- Porthos
Name found in the manuscript Memoirs of the Comte de la Fère.
- Aramis
Name found in the manuscript Memoirs of the Comte de la Fère.
- M. de Tréville
Mentioned as the captain of the king's Musketeers whom d'Artagnan visits.
Key passages
“A short time ago, while making researches in the Royal Library for my History of Louis XIV, I stumbled by chance upon the Memoirs of M. d'Artagnan”
Recently, while researching for my book on Louis XIV, I accidentally found d'Artagnan's memoirs in the Royal Library.
The narrator explains the origin of the story.
“We must confess these three strange names struck us; and it immediately occurred to us that they were but pseudonyms”
The unusual names Athos, Porthos, and Aramis seemed like aliases to the narrator.
The narrator speculates that the names are pseudonyms.
