On the first Monday in April, 1625, the inhabitants of the town of Meng, on the outskirts of Paris, seemed to be excited as if the Huguenots had taken it into their heads to turn it into a second fortress of La Rochelle; a young man of eighteen years old rode into Meng on a red gelding without a tail.
His appearance, clothes and manners caused a flurry of ridicule in the crowd of townspeople. The horseman, however, did not pay attention to them, as befits a nobleman who considers it shameful to sort things out with commoners. Another thing is an insult inflicted by an equal: d'Artagnan (that's the name of our hero) rushes with a bared sword at a noble gentleman in black; however, several townspeople with a club come running to help him. Waking up, d'Artagnan does not find either the offender, or - what is much more serious - a letter of recommendation from his father to an old comrade-in-arms, the captain of the royal musketeers, Mr. de Treville, with a request to determine the offspring who has come of age on military service.
His Majesty's Musketeers are the color of the guard, people without fear or reproach, and therefore they get away with their independent and reckless behavior. At that hour, when d'Artagnan is waiting for a reception at de Treville, Mr. Captain inflicts another thrashing (which, however, does not entail sad consequences) on his three favorites - Athos, Porto-su and Aramis.
De Treville, it should be noted, was outraged not by the fact that they had a fight with the guards of Cardinal Richelieu, but by allowing themselves to be arrested. . . What a disgrace! Conversing with de Treville, who received the young d'Artagnan very affectionately, the young man sees a stranger from Meng outside the window and rushes headlong into the street, hitting three musketeers in turn on the stairs. All three challenge him to a duel. The stranger in black manages to sneak away, but at the appointed hour, Athos, Porthos and Aramis are waiting for d'Artagnan at the appointed place. The case takes an unexpected turn: the swords of all four are unsheathed against the ubiquitous guardsmen of the Duke of Richelieu. The musketeers are convinced that the young Gascon is not only a bully, but also a real brave man who owns weapons no worse than they are, and they accept d'Artagnan into their company.
Richelieu complains to the king: the musketeers are quite insolent. Louis XIII is more intrigued than upset.
He wants to know who is this unknown fourth, who was with Athos, Por-i-thos and Aramis. De Treville presents the Gascon to His Majesty - and the king enlists d'Artagnan to serve in his guard.
To d'Artagnan, who has stopped at his house, about whose prowess rumors are already creeping around Paris, the haberdasher Bonacier addresses: yesterday his young wife, the maid of Her Majesty Queen Anne of Austria, was kidnapped. By all accounts, the kidnapper is a stranger from Meng. The reason for the kidnapping is not the charms of Madame Bonacieux, but her closeness to the queen: in Paris, Lord Buckingham, beloved of Anne of Austria. Madame Bonacieux can lead on his trail. The queen is in danger: the king has left her and is now being pursued by Richelieu, she is losing loyal people one by one; in addition to everything (or above all) she is a Spaniard in love with an Englishman, and Spain and England are the main opponents of France in the political arena. Monsieur Bonacieux himself was kidnapped after Constance; in their house a trap is set up for Lord Buckingham or someone close to him.
One night, d'Artagnan hears fuss and muffled women's cries in the house. It was Madame Bonacieux, who had escaped from custody, again fell into a mousetrap - now in her own house.
D'Artagnan takes her away from Richelieu's men and hides her in Athos' apartment.
Following all her exits into the city, he lies in wait for Constance in the company of a man in a musketeer's uniform.
Did friend Athos take it into his head to recapture the saved beauty from him? The jealous man quickly resigns himself: Madame Bonacieux's companion is Lord Buckingham, whom she takes to the Louvre on a date with the queen. Constance initiates d'Artagnan into the secrets of the heart of her mistress. He promises to protect the queen and Buckingham as her own; this conversation becomes their declaration of love.
Buckingham leaves Paris, taking away a gift from Queen Anne - twelve diamond pendants. Having found out about this, Richelieu advises the king to arrange a big ball, where the queen should appear in pendants - those that are now stored in London, in Buckingham's box.
He foresees the disgrace of the queen who rejected his claims and sends one of his best secret agents to England, my lady. Winter: she must steal two pendants from Buckingham - even if the other ten miraculously return to Paris for the big ball, the cardinal will be able to prove the fault of the queen. Racing with Milady Winter rushes to England d'Artagnan. Milady succeeds in what the cardinal has entrusted to her; however, time works for d'Artagnan, and he delivers ten pendants of the queen and two more exactly the same, made by a London jeweler in less than two days, to the Louvre! The cardinal is put to shame, the queen is saved, d'Artagnan is accepted into the musketeers and rewarded with the love of Constance. Richelieu learns about the prowess of the newly-witted musketeer and instructs the insidious Milady Winter to take care of him.
Intriguing against d'Artagnan and instilling in him a strong and contradictory passion, Milady at the same time seduces the Count de Wardes, a man who served as an obstacle to the Gascon on his journey to London, sent by the cardinal to help Milady. Cathy, milady's maid, being crazy about the young musketeer, shows him the letters of her mistress de Ward. D'Artagnan, under the guise of Comte de Wardes, comes on a date to Milady and, not recognized by her in the dark, receives a diamond ring as a token of love.
D'Artagnan hurries to present his adventure to his friends as a funny joke; Athos, however, glooms at the sight of the ring. Milady's ring evokes a painful memory in him. This is a family jewel, presented by him on the night of love to the one whom he considered an angel and who in reality was a branded criminal, thief and murderer who broke the heart of Athos.
Athos' story is soon confirmed: on Milady's bare shoulder, her ardent lover d'Artagnan notices a brand in the form of a lily - the seal of eternal shame.
From now on, he is the enemy of milady.
He is privy to her secret. He refused to kill Lord Winter in a duel - he only disarmed, after which he reconciled with him (the brother of her late husband and uncle of her little son) - and she has long been striving to take over the entire state of the Winters! Nothing came of Milady's plan to pit d'Artagnan against de Barde.

In April 1625, on the first Monday of the month, the inhabitants of the town of Meng, in the suburbs of Paris, were so excited, as if the Huguenots had thought of turning it into another fortress of Larochelle. A young man of eighteen years of age drove into Meng on a red tailless gelding. His clothes, appearance and manners caused a hail of ridicule in a small group of townspeople. As befits a nobleman, the rider paid absolutely no attention to this. After all, it would be shameful to arrange a showdown with the common people. Another thing is if the insult inflicts an equal position. D'Artagnan, and that is the name of our hero, rushed with his sword unsheathed at the noble gentleman in black. But then several men with clubs came running to help him. Waking up d'Artagnan could not find the offender. But what is more serious, he could not find a letter in which his father recommended him to his old service comrade, Monsieur de Treville, captain of the king's musketeers, where he asked him to accept the offspring, who had already reached the age of majority, into military service to the crown.

The Musketeers of the King of France are the elite of the guard. These are people without any fear and reproach, and for this they get away with unrestrained and independent behavior. While d'Artagnan was awaiting the captain's audience, de Treville arranged another thrashing of his three favorites - Athos, Aramis and Porthos, which, as usual, did not entail any consequences. It is worth noting that the captain was outraged not by the fact that they had a fight with the cardinal's guards, but by allowing them to arrest themselves. After all, it's a shame!

Speaking with the captain, who received the young young d'Artagnan very cordially, the young man saw that very stranger from Meng outside the window and immediately set off into the street to catch up with him, while touching, in turn, all three musketeers. And having received a challenge to a duel from everyone. Meanwhile, the stranger from Meng had managed to evaporate in the meantime, but at the appointed time, in the appointed place, Aramis, Porthos and Athos were waiting for d'Artagnan. But the matter took an unexpected development; the swords of these four were unsheathed in concert against the guards of Cardinal Richelieu darting around in the district. As a result, the musketeers were convinced that the young nobleman, in addition to being a bully, was also a real brave man who had a weapon skills no worse than themselves. They accepted d'Artagnan into their company.

Richelieu complained to the king that the musketeers were completely insolent. King Louis XIII is more intrigued than upset. He decides to find out who was the unknown fourth with Athos, Aramis and Porthos. De Treville introduces d'Artagnan to His Majesty and the monarch enlists the Gascon to serve in his guard.

D'Artagnan, rumors about whose bravery have already spread throughout Paris, rents a room from the haberdasher Bonacieux, who turned to the Gascon. Yesterday they kidnapped his young wife, the Queen's maid, Her Majesty Anne of Austria. By all indications, the kidnapper is a stranger in black from Meng. The reason for the disappearance is not in the charms of Madame Bonacieux, but in her proximity to the queen. Lord Buckingham, lover of Anna of Austria, is in Paris. Madame Bonacieux is able to point to his tracks. The queen is in trouble. The king has forgotten her, and Richelieu pursues her, lusting after her. She began to lose one by one devoted people. In the same, and most importantly, she is in love with an Englishman, being a Spaniard by birth. England and Spain are the main rivals of France in political games. After Constance, M. Bonacieux himself is kidnapped. At their house, an ambush was set up for Lord Runningham or people close to him.

Somehow in the night d'Artagnan heard in the house the muffled cries of women and fuss. This is Mrs. Bonacieux, who escaped from security to again fall into a mousetrap in her own house. Having recaptured it from the people of the cardinal, he hid it in the apartment of Athos.

After following her as she enters the city, he notices Constance in the company of a man in a musketeer's uniform. Really friend Athos decided to recapture the saved beauty from him? The jealous man soon reconciled himself. Madame Bonacieux's companion was Lord Buckingham. She took him to the Louvre for a meeting with the Queen. Constance told d'Artagnan's love secrets to her mistress. He swore to protect the queen, and along with Buckingham, as if he were himself. This conversation became a declaration of love between them.

Buckingham left Paris. He took with him a gift from Her Majesty Anna - twelve pendants with diamonds. Richelieu, who learned about this, advised the king to arrange a grandiose ball and the queen should come to it with pendants, those that are now in London, in a box with the Duke of Buckingham. The cardinal anticipates the shame that awaits the queen who rejected him. He sent one of his best secret agents to England - Lady Winter, Milady. She must steal two pendants from Buckingham. In this case, even if the remaining ten will be with the queen by the beginning of the big royal ball, the cardinal will be able to convict her of infidelity to the king. D'Artagnan rushed to England, overtaking Milady. Lady Winter succeeded in carrying out the order of the cardinal. But a London jeweler made copies of the missing pendants in less than two days. And d'Artagnan brings them to the queen along with the remaining ten, saving the honor of the queen and disgracing the cardinal. He was accepted into the Musketeers. Constance loves him.

Weaving intrigues against d'Artagnan, instilling in him contradictory and desire, Milady at the same time seduces the Comte de Wardes. This man was sent by Richelieu to help Milady in England, where he was met by a Gascon. Lady Winter's maid, Cathy, in love with the brave musketeer, showed him the correspondence of her mistress with de Ward. Then D'Artagnan, pretending to be a count, came to Milady's mansion. She did not recognize him in the darkness of the room. As a token of her love, she gives him a diamond ring. D'Artagnan jokingly tells his friends about his escapade. Athos, seeing the ring, suddenly grew gloomy. The given ring caused him an unhappy memory. After all, this is the same family ring that he gave to his beloved, whom he revered as an angel. And she really was a thief, a murderer and a criminal who was branded with a lily. She crushed his heart. Soon d'Artagnan, indefatigable in love, saw on the shoulder of his mistress a brand with a lily - the seal of a thief.

Now he is Milady's enemy because he has learned her secret. He did not kill the current Lord Winter in a duel, the brother of Milady's deceased husband, disarming him and then reconciling. The widow failed to get rid of her brother-in-law and receive the entire inheritance. Also, Lady Winter was unable to pit de Ward against the Gascon.

The pride of Richelieu is wounded. In response to an invitation from d'Artagnan to become his cardinal guard, he was refused. The cardinal warned the young Gascon that now, deprived of his patronage, he would not receive even a broken copper in his life.

Taking leave from the captain of the Musketeers, d'Artagnan and three of his comrades went to the fortress of the port city of Larochelle, which opened the way for the British to French territory. Cardinal Richelieu wants to complete what Joan of Arc and the Duke of Guise started. Victory in the war with England for the cardinal lies not only in the fact that he will rid France of the invader, but in revenge on the man who was lucky to become the queen's lover - Buckingham. For the latter, this is also a personal matter. He wants to return to France not as a truce, but as a winner. The true cause of these bloody battles between the two states is the loving gaze of Anna of Austria. Fort La Pre and the fortress of Saint-Martin were besieged by the British. The French laid siege to La Rochelle.

Before participating in the battles, d'Artagnan summed up his stay in the capital during these two years. He loves Constance as much as she loves him, but he has no idea where she is now. He is now a musketeer, but his enemy is Richelieu himself. He managed to participate in many adventures and experience the hatred of Lady Winter. The queen favors him, but this is more of a minus than a plus. The only worthwhile item he has is a diamond ring, Athos' sad memories cloud the jewel.

One day, by chance, three musketeers were forced to secretly accompany the cardinal on a night walk on the outskirts of Larochelle. Athos overheard the conversation between Richelieu and Milady in the Red Dovecote tavern, for the purpose of this meeting the cardinal walked. He ordered her to sail to London as an envoy to negotiate with the Duke of Buckingham. But these negotiations are far from diplomacy - Richelieu issued an ultimatum to his opponent. If Buckingham only decides on a serious confrontation in the current battle, the cardinal will immediately publish papers in which evidence is not only of her betrayal with the duke, but also of a conspiracy with the enemies of France. If Buckingham persists, then a fatal person should appear on the scene who will put a weapon in the hand of a murderer who will eliminate Buckingham. Milady understood the cardinal's hints perfectly. She is ready to be that person.

The Musketeers, meanwhile, did the unbelievable. They dined on the bastion, open to the enemy, arguing with their colleagues. At the same time, they repulsed several attacks of the Larochels. And then they returned intact to their military unit. Four friends warned Lord Winter and the Duke of Buckingham about Milady's assignment. Winter manages to arrest Lady Winter. A young soldier, Felton, was assigned to guard the woman. Milady learned that her escort was a strict puritan. She pretended to be his sister in faith, allegedly seduced by Buckingham, who slandered her and branded her with a lily, while in reality she suffered for her faith and innocence. Felton is as if bewitched by Milady. Religious fanaticism and discipline made him a man incapable of seduction. But the tragic story told to him by a woman lulled his caution, and her beauty and imaginary piety won his honest heart and Felton made an escape for Milady. He helped her through acquaintances to get to Paris. And he himself kills the duke, piercing him with a dagger, as Cardinal Richelieu planned.

Milady hid in the Bethune Convent of the Carmelites, in the same place where Constance Bonacieux was. Upon learning that d'Artagnan would soon arrive here, the vile criminal poisoned her beloved Gascon, her worst enemy, and tried to escape. The Musketeers rushed after her.

Having caught up with her at night, in a gloomy dark forest, they began to judge her: she was the culprit in the death of Buckingham and Felton, she vilely killed Constance and incited d'Artagnan to kill de Wardes. In addition, in her youth she seduced a young pastor who stole church utensils for her sake. Caught and sentenced to time, the priest committed suicide. He left a brother, an executioner in the city of Lille, who vowed to take revenge on the vile seducer. He somehow overtook her and managed to brand her, but then she managed to hide in the castle de la Ferov, where Athos married her, not knowing about her past. But having learned about the betrayal, the husband in anger decided to arrange lynching and hanged the traitor. But Milady was lucky - she was saved, she remained alive and continued to commit heinous deeds already as Lady Winter. Having given birth to Winter's son, she poisoned her husband for the sake of a good inheritance, but she also dreamed of getting rid of her brother-in-law in order to get everything.

Having announced to the criminal all her sins, the Musketeers and Lord Winter left Milady to the executioner. Athos gave him a purse of gold, but he threw it into the river, since in this case he would only fulfill his duty, and not work. The Musketeers returned to the capital. When asked by Captain de Treville whether they had had a good time on holiday, Athos answered for all his comrades that the holiday was incomparable.

Please note that this is only summary literary work"Three Musketeers". This summary omits many important points and quotations.

In April 1625, an eighteen-year-old boy named d'Artagnan from the work of Alexandre Dumas "The Three Musketeers" arrived in the town of Meng on a red tailless gelding. Everyone laughed at him because of his appearance and behavior. But this young man, like a true noble, did not pay attention to the ridicule of the commoners. And when a rich man in black insulted him, the guy rushed at him with a sword. But the townspeople with clubs run up to the gentleman in black and help him. When d'Artagnan woke up, he did not find either a gentleman in black nearby, or a letter with recommendations from his father to his fighting friend de Treville, who was the captain of the king's musketeers. In this letter there was a request to take the guy to military service.

The Royal Musketeers are the elite of the guard, they are brave and courageous. Therefore, they are forgiven for all oversights. While d'Artagnan is waiting to meet de Treville, the captain scolds his favorite musketeers: Athos, Porthos and Aramis. De Treville arranged a scolding not for a fight between the musketeers and the guards of Cardinal Richelieu, but for the arrest of the whole trinity.

The captain received the boy kindly. And suddenly d'Artagnan saw that gentleman in black outside the window, he quarreled with him in Menge. The young man ran out into the street, hitting Athos, Porthos and Aramis in turn on the stairs, and they challenged him to a duel. And the gentleman in black is gone. The duel between d'Artagnan and the Musketeers did not take place, but all four had a fight with Richelieu's guards. Three friends decided that the Gascon was showing courage and was excellent with weapons, so they became friends with him.

The Cardinal informed His Majesty of the insolence of the Musketeers. But Louis thirteenth was more interested in the person of d'Artagnan than in the behavior of the musketeers. Captain de Treville introduced d'Artagnan to the king, and he enrolled the guy in the guards.

D'Artagnan settled in the house of the haberdasher Bonacier. And since the courage of the young man was talked about all over Paris, Bonacieux asks for help, because his wife Constance was kidnapped. She served as a maid to Queen Anne of Austria, and the kidnapper was a gentleman in black. Moreover, the reason for the abduction was the proximity of Constance to the queen. The Duke of Buckingham, the queen's lover, has arrived in Paris, and Madame Bonacieux could bring the cardinal to him. Her Majesty is in danger: the king has fallen out of love with her, she is pursued by Richelieu. He was so inflamed with passion for her, loyal people disappear, and she was also a Spaniard who fell in love with an Englishman (England and Spain were the main political enemies of France). Then Bonacieux himself was kidnapped, and in the haberdasher's house they ambushed Buckingham.

And at night, the Gascon heard rustling in the house and a woman's cry. It was Constance. The girl escaped from custody and was ambushed in her dwelling. D'Artagnan rescued her and hid her in the house of Athos.

The Gascon is watching Constance, and now he sees his beloved with a man in the clothes of a musketeer. It was Buckingham, whom the beauty is taking to the Louvre to meet Anne of Austria. Constance told the young man about the love of the duke and the queen. D'Artagnan promises to protect Her Majesty, Buckingham and Constance herself. This conversation became their declaration of love to each other.

The Duke left France with a gift from the Queen - pendants with twelve diamonds. The cardinal found out about this and advised His Majesty to arrange a ball, and that Anna of Austria put these pendants on him. Richelieu realized that this would disgrace the Queen. And he also sends Milady Winter's agent to England to steal two pendants. Then the queen will not be able to justify herself. But D'Artagnan also went to England. Winter steals some of the pendants. But the Gascon returned to Paris before milady with ten real pendants and two pendants made by an English jeweler in just two days! Everything worked out well. Richelieu's plan failed. The queen was saved. D'Artagnan became a musketeer and was reciprocated by Madame Bonacieux. But the Cardinal has instructed Milady Winter to keep an eye on the Gascon.

This treacherous woman creates trouble for the Gascon and at the same time makes him burn with a strange passion for her. At the same time, she seduces the Comte de Ward, who, together with Winter, tried to prevent the young man from delivering the pendants to France. The young maidservant of Milady, whose name is Cathy, fell in love with the Gascon and informed him of the letters of her mistress to the count. D'Artagnan, under the guise of de Wardes, went on a date with Winter. She did not recognize him in the dark and gave him a diamond ring. The young man told his friends about all this. But Athos saw the ring and became gloomy, as he recognized in it the family jewel of his family. He gave this ring to his wife, not yet knowing about her criminal past (theft and murder) and the stigma on her shoulder. Soon the Gascon saw on the shoulder of Milady Winter the same brand-lily.

From that moment on, D'Artagnan became an enemy of Winter, because he learned her secret. He did not kill Lord Weather (brother of Milady's late husband and uncle of her little son) in a duel, but only left him unarmed and reconciled with him, although Milady wanted to take all the wealth of the Winter family for herself. Milady's plans failed with regard to D'Artagnan and de Wardes. The pride of this woman and the ambition of the cardinal suffered greatly. Richelieu offered the young man to go to the service of the guards, but he refused. The cardinal warned the Gascon that he was depriving him of his patronage, so his life would henceforth be in danger.

While on vacation, D'Artagnan and the three Musketeers arrived in the vicinity of the port city of Larochelle. They were the "gateway" to France for the British. Richelieu sought to thwart them, but he wanted victory in order to take revenge on the Duke of Buckingham. But the duke also needed this war for personal purposes. He wants to be in France a winner, not a messenger. English troops attack the fortress of Saint-Martin and Fort La Pre, while French troops attack Larochelle. And it's all because of Queen Anne.

Before the fight, D'Artagnan thinks about his life in Paris. He loves Constance and this is mutual, but he does not know where she is and whether she is alive. He serves in a musketeer regiment, but he has an enemy - a cardinal. Milady Winter hates him. And she, for sure, wants to take revenge on him. He is patronized by the Queen of France, but for this he can be persecuted. The only thing the young man has acquired is Milady's expensive ring, but this is bittersweet for Athos.

By chance, the three musketeers are in the retinue of Richelieu during his walk at night near Larochelle. He's come to meet Milady Winter. Athos overheard their conversation. The cardinal wants to send her to London to mediate during negotiations with the Duke of Beckinham. But these negotiations are not diplomatic, but ultimatum: the cardinal promises to publish documents that defame the name of Anne of Austria (not only because of her love relationship with the duke, but also as a conspirator against France) if Buckingham takes decisive military action. And if Buckingham does not agree, then my lady will have to persuade some fanatic to kill.

The Musketeers tell this to Buckingham and Lord Winter. Winter arrested her in London. And the protection was entrusted to a Puritan, young officer Felton. Milady Winter appears as his co-religionist, who was allegedly seduced by the duke, slandered and branded as a thief, and she suffers for her faith.

Felton helped Milady escape from custody. His familiar captain delivered the woman to Paris, and the officer himself killed Buckingham.

Milady is hiding in the convent of Bethune, and Maudame Bonacieux is also hiding there. Winter poisoned Constance and fled the convent. But the Musketeers caught her.

Milady Winter was judged in the woods at night. Because of her, Buckingham and Felton died, she killed Constance, tried to provoke the murder of de Vardes by d'Artagnan, her very first victim - a young priest who stole utensils from the church for her, committed suicide in hard labor, and his brother, the executioner from Lille, branded her, but Milady married the Comte de la Fère, deceiving him. Athos found out about the deception and hanged his wife from a tree. But the countess was saved, and she again began to do evil under the name of Lady Winter. She gave birth to a son, poisoned her husband and received a decent inheritance, but she also wanted to take possession of the share of the brother of the husband she had killed.

Having presented all these accusations to Milady, the Musketeers and Lord Winter give her to the executioner from Lille. Athos pays them with gold in his purse. But he threw him into the river, because he wanted to avenge his brother. Three days later the Musketeers arrived in Paris, and came to de Treville. He asked if the friends had a good time on vacation, and Athos answered for everyone: “Incomparably!”.

Three Musketeers

On the first Monday in April 1625, the population of the town of Meng on the outskirts of Paris seemed excited as if the Huguenots had decided to turn it into a second fortress of Larochelle: a young man of eighteen years old rode into Meng on a red gelding without a tail. His appearance, clothes and manners caused a flurry of ridicule in the crowd of townspeople. The rider, however, does not pay attention to them, as befits a nobleman who considers it shameful to sort things out with commoners. Another thing is an insult inflicted by an equal: d "Artagnan (this is the name of our hero) rushes with a bared sword at a noble gentleman in black; however, several townspeople with a club come running to help him. much more serious - a letter of recommendation from his father to an old comrade-in-arms, the captain of the royal musketeers, Mr. de Treville, with a request to appoint a son who has reached the age of majority for military service.

His Majesty's Musketeers are the color of the guard, people without fear or reproach, for which they get away with independent and reckless behavior. At that hour, when d "Artagnan is waiting for a reception at de Treville, Mr. Captain inflicts another headwash (which, however, does not entail sad consequences) on his three favorites - Athos, Porthos and Aramis. De Treville, it should be noted, was outraged not by that they started a fight with the guards of Cardinal Richelieu, and allowed themselves to be arrested ... What a shame!

Talking with de Treville (who received the young d "Artagnan very affectionately), the young man sees a stranger from Meng outside the window - and rushes headlong into the street, hitting three musketeers in turn on the stairs. All three challenge him to a duel. The stranger in black manages to sneak away, but in Athos, Porthos and Aramis are waiting for the appointed hour at the appointed place. The case takes an unexpected turn; the swords of all four are unsheathed against the ubiquitous guards of the Duke of Richelieu. The musketeers are convinced that the young Gascon is not only a bully, but also a real brave man who owns weapons no worse than they are, and they accept d'Artagnan into their company.

Richelieu complains to the king: the musketeers are completely insolent. Louis XIII is more intrigued than upset. He wants to know who is this unknown fourth, who was with Athos, Porthos and Aramis. De Treville introduces the Gascon to His Majesty - and the king enlists d "Artagnan to serve in his guard.

To d'Artagnan, who stopped at his house, about whose valor rumors are already creeping around Paris, the haberdasher Bonacieux addresses: yesterday his young wife, the maid of Her Majesty Queen Anne of Austria, was kidnapped. By all signs, the kidnapper is a stranger from Meng. Bonacieux, and her closeness to the queen: in Paris, Lord Buckingham, beloved of Anne of Austria, Madame Bonacieux can lead on his trail, the queen is in danger: the king has abandoned her, she is pursued by Richelieu, who lusts for her, she loses one after another faithful people, in addition to all (or above all) she is a Spaniard in love with an Englishman, and Spain and England are the main opponents of France in the political arena.Mr. Bonacieux himself is kidnapped after Constance; from people close to him.

One night, d "Artagnan hears fuss and muffled female cries in the house. This is Ms. Bonacieux, who fled from custody, again fell into a mousetrap - now in her own house. d" Artagnan beats her off from Richelieu's people and hides her in Athos's apartment .

Watching all her exits into the city, he lies in wait for Constance in the company of a man in a musketeer's uniform. Did friend Athos take it into his head to recapture the saved beauty from him? The jealous man quickly resigns himself: Madame Bonacieux's companion is Lord Buckingham, whom she takes to Dover on a date with the queen. Constance initiates d'Artagnan into the secrets of the heart of his mistress. He promises to protect the queen and Buckingham, as her own; this conversation becomes their declaration of love.

Buckingham leaves Paris, taking away a gift from Queen Anne - twelve diamond pendants. Having found out about this, Richelieu advises the king to arrange a big ball, to which the queen should appear in pendants - those that are now stored in London, in Buckingham's box. He foresees the disgrace of the queen who rejected his claims - and sends one of his best secret agents, Milady Winter, to England: she is to steal two pendants from Buckingham - even if the remaining ten miraculously return to Paris for the big ball, the cardinal will be able to prove the faulty queen. Racing with Milady, Winter rushes to England d "Artagnan. Milady succeeds in what the cardinal instructed her; however, time works for d" Artagnan - and he delivers ten queen pendants and two more exactly the same, made by a London jeweler in less than two days! The cardinal is put to shame, the queen is saved, d'Artagnan is accepted into the musketeers and rewarded with the love of Constance. There are, however, losses: Richelieu learns about the valor of the newly minted musketeer and instructs the insidious Milady Winter to patronize him.

Weaving intrigues against d "Artagnan and instilling in him a strong and contradictory passion, Milady at the same time seduces the Count de Wardes, a man who served as an obstacle to the Gascon on his journey to London, sent by the cardinal to help Milady. Catty, Milady's servant, being crazy about the young musketeer, shows him the letters of his mistress de Ward. D "Artagnan, under the guise of Count de Ward, comes on a date to milady and, not recognized by her in the dark, receives a diamond ring as a token of love. D'Artagnan hurries to present his adventure to his friends as a funny joke; Athos, however, becomes gloomy at the sight of the ring. Milady's ring evokes a painful memory in him. In reality, she was a branded criminal, a thief and a murderer who broke Athos' heart.Athos' story is soon confirmed: on Milady's bare shoulder, her ardent lover d'Artagnan notices a brand in the form of a lily - the seal of eternal shame.

From now on, he is the enemy of milady. He is privy to her secret. He refused to kill Lord Winter in a duel - he only disarmed, after which he reconciled with him (the brother of her late husband and the uncle of her little son) - and she has long been striving to take over the entire fortune of the Winters! Milady and her plan to pit d "Ar-659 did not work out

tanyana with de Bard. Milady's pride is wounded, but so is Richelieu's ambition. Having invited d'Artagnan to go to serve in his guards regiment and having been refused, the cardinal warns the young insolent: "From the minute you lose my patronage, no one will give you a broken penny for your life!" ...

The place of a soldier is in war. Taking a vacation from de Treville, d'Artagnan and his three friends go to the vicinity of Larochelle, a port city that opens the gates to the French borders for the British. Closing them to England, Cardinal Richelieu completes the work of Jeanne d'Arc and the Duke of Guise. Victory over England for Richelieu is not so much about ridding the king of France from the enemy, but about taking revenge on a more successful rival in love with the queen. Buckingham is the same: in this military campaign he seeks to satisfy personal ambitions. He prefers to return to Paris not as an envoy, but as a triumphant. The true stake in this bloody game played by two mightiest powers is the benevolent glance of Anna of Austria. The British besiege the fortress of Saint-Martin and Fort La Pre, the French - La Rochelle.

Before the baptism of fire, d "Artagnan sums up the results of a two-year stay in the capital. He is in love and loved - but does not know where his Constance is and whether she is alive at all. He became a musketeer - but has an enemy in the person of Richelieu. Behind him are many extraordinary adventures- but also the hatred of my lady, who will not miss the opportunity to take revenge on him. He is marked by the patronage of the queen - but this is a bad defense, rather, a reason for persecution ... His only unconditional acquisition is a ring with a diamond, whose brilliance, however, is overshadowed by the bitter memories of Athos.

By chance, Athos, Porthos and Aramis accompany the cardinal on his nightly walk incognito in the vicinity of Larochelle. Athos in the tavern "Red Dovecote" hears the conversation of the cardinal with milady (it was Richelieu who went to meet her under the protection of musketeers). He sends her to London as an intermediary in negotiations with Buckingham. The negotiations, however, are not entirely diplomatic: Richelieu presents an ultimatum to his opponent. If Buckingham dares to take a decisive step in the current military confrontation, the cardinal promises to make public documents discrediting the queen - evidence not only of her favor to the duke, but also of her collusion with the enemies of France. "And if Buckingham gets stubborn?" asks milady. - "In this case, as happened more than once in history, on the political scene there should be femme fatale who will put a dagger in the hand of some fanatical killer..." Milady perfectly understands Richelieu's hint. Well, she is just such a woman! the Musketeers warn the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Winter about Milady's mission. Winter manages to arrest her in London. The young officer Felton is entrusted with guarding Milady. Milady learns that her guard is a puritan. She is called his co-religionist, allegedly seduced Buckingham, slandered and branded as a thief, while in reality suffering for her faith.Felton is smitten with Milady on the spot, Religiosity and strict discipline made him a man beyond the reach of ordinary seductions.But the story told to him by Milady shook his hostility towards her, and his beauty and ostentatious piety she won his pure heart, Felton helps Milady Winter to escape. the captain to deliver the unfortunate captive to Paris, and he himself penetrates to the Duke of Buckingham, whom, in fulfillment of Richelieu's scenario, he kills with a dagger.

Milady is hiding in the Carmelite convent in Bethune, where Constance Bonacieux also lives. Having learned that d'Artagnan should appear here from one hour to the next, Milady poisons the beloved of her main enemy and flees. But she fails to escape retribution: musketeers rush in her footsteps.

At night, in a dark forest, a trial is being held against my lady. She is responsible for the death of Buckingham and Felton seduced by her. On her conscience, the death of Constance and the instigation of d "Artagnan to kill de Wardes. Another - her very first victim - a young priest seduced by her, whom she persuaded to steal church utensils. Condemned for this to penal servitude, the shepherd of God laid hands on himself. brother, the executioner from Lille, made it his life's goal to take revenge on Milady. Once he had already overtaken her and branded her, but the criminal then hid in the castle of the Comte de la Fere - Athos and, keeping silent about the ill-fated past, married him. Accidentally discovering deceit, Athos in a rage, committed lynching over his wife: he hung her on a tree. Fate gave her another chance: the Countess de la Fere was saved, and she returned to life and her vile deeds under the name of Lady Winter. Having given birth to a son, milady poisoned Winter and received a rich inheritance but this was not enough for her, and she dreamed of a share belonging to her brother-in-law.

Having presented all the above charges to her, the Musketeers and Winter entrust Milady to the executioner of Lille. Athos gives him a purse of gold - a payment for hard work, but he throws the gold into the river: "Today I am not doing my trade, but my duty." The blade of his wide sword shines in the moonlight... Three days later, the Musketeers return to Paris and present themselves to their captain de Treville. "Well, gentlemen," the brave captain asks them. "Did you have a good time on vacation?" - "Incomparable!" - Responsible for himself and for friends Athos.

The action of the novel by A. Dumas "The Three Musketeers" takes place in the 20s XVII century in France, during the reign of King Louis XIII and his first minister, the powerful Cardinal Richelieu.
A young Gascon nobleman, d'Artagnan, went to Paris with the aim of joining the company of the royal musketeers. On his way to Paris, in Mengue, he met a nobleman who mocked his awkward horse. Trying to punish the offender, d'Artagnan was severely beaten by his servants. Here, for the first time, he saw Milady, who later played a tragic role in his fate. But most of all, the Gascon was upset by the theft by a stranger of his father's letter of recommendation to the captain of the musketeers, M. de Treville. After recovering from his injuries, he arrives in Paris.
Appearing the next day to Monsieur de Treville, d'Artagnan saw for the first time at his reception three friends of the Musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Having received d'Artagnan, Treville found out the purpose of the Gascon's arrival in Paris, and also listened to the story that happened to the young man on the road. Seeing an outstanding personality in front of him, the captain decided to take part in the fate of the young man, but at that moment it seemed to d'Artagnan, who glanced out the window, that his offender from Meng flashed on the street. Rushing after him, he ran into Athos, hurting him. As a result of a verbal skirmish, the nobles agreed to meet in order to resolve the dispute with the help of a sword. Hurrying on, the Gascon managed to quarrel with Porthos and Aramis. They also had to arrange a meeting, but a little later. Time was lost, the stranger managed to escape, and d'Artagnan went to meet Athos, finding with surprise that the latter's seconds were Messrs. Porthos and Aramis. Before the swords crossed, five of the cardinal's guards, led by de Jussac, appeared at the place of the duel, demanding that the musketeers follow them, and the Gascon retire. Three friends, despite the inequality of forces, decided to resist. D'Artagnan, without a moment's hesitation, took the side of the Musketeers. It fell to him to fight with de Jussac himself. And he came out of the situation with honor, wounding the enemy and having managed to help Athos cope with his own. Having won, Athos, Porthos and Aramis accepted the Gascon into their circle. From that moment on, his fate was closely intertwined with the fate of the three musketeers.
A few days later, de Treville presents the four friends to the king. Louis, having gently scolded the musketeers for the frequent skirmishes with the cardinal's guards, gives d'Artagnan a monetary reward and orders him to be enlisted in the company of Desessard's guards. Friends spend time together both in entertainment and in the service.
But a calm and measured life, one day, was disturbed by the arrival of Mr. Bonacieux, a haberdasher who rented a room to him, to d'Artagnan. He said that his young wife, a servant of the queen, was kidnapped, and the same evil genius, a stranger from Meng, was in charge of the kidnapping. Asking for help in finding a wife, M. Bonacie promised the Gascon to turn a blind eye to the latter's debt for housing, providing him with a certain amount of money and his wine stocks. This interested D'Artagnan, he decided to help Bonacieux and involve the Musketeers in the search, especially since the honor of Queen Anne was affected, who had sympathy for the English Duke of Buckingham, who secretly arrived in Paris, according to a forged letter, to meet with her, despite the intrigues of the cardinal who had tender feelings for the queen. Thus, among other things, the friends had an opportunity, which they never missed, to annoy his eminence.
Soon Bonacieux was arrested, and D'Artagnan meets his wife, Constance Bonacieux, who managed to escape from the kidnappers. The Gascon, immediately inflamed with feelings for the young woman, vowed to help her in every possible way, even being not yet privy to all the details of the intrigue that had unfolded. And the opportunity presented itself that evening. At the request of Madame Bonacieux, the young man accompanied the Duke of Buckingham, who was in a hurry to meet secretly with the Queen. Anna of Austria asked the duke, who was burning with love, to leave Paris and, as a memory of herself, handed him the diamond pendants given to her by the king.
In the meantime, Bonacieux was brought from prison to the cardinal and, having received a small reward, agreed with great zeal to spy on his wife. His Eminence already knew about the meeting between the Queen and Buckingham and that the latter had been presented with pendants. The cardinal immediately sends a messenger to London, to the faithful accomplice of all his intrigues, my lady, with an order to cut off several pendants from the Duke of Buckingham, at one of the London balls. At the same time, Richelieu notifies the king that Buckingham has been secretly staying for several days in Paris, without telling, however, about the meeting with the queen. The enraged king suspects the queen of conspiring with the enemies of France and has an unpleasant explanation with her.
The cardinal, versed in intrigue, conceived a brilliant combination. Having received news from milady that she managed to cut off two of Buckingham's twelve pendants, the duke advises the king, ostensibly to reconcile the royal married couple, to appoint a ball and demand that the queen wear diamond pendants for this event. Louis, accustomed to act on the advice of Richelieu, did all this. Trying not to show her excitement, the queen promised to exactly fulfill the request of the king, realizing that thanks to the intrigues of the cardinal, she found herself on the brink of the abyss. Fortunately for Her Majesty, Madame Bonacieux became an unwitting witness to the conversation, volunteering to help the queen by sending her husband to London, for pendants. What was the surprise of Constance when, returning home and telling Mr. Bonacieux about her request, she found out that he served the cardinal and became his ardent supporter. All this conversation was heard by d'Artagnan, and after the haberdasher's departure, he did not hesitate to offer his services to Madame Bonacieux. Constance, seeing in the eyes young man love and determination, after some hesitation, agreed.
D'Artagnan and his three friends, asking for leave, accompanied by servants, hastened to London. But only the Gascon and his servant managed to get to the port, overcoming the obstacles set up by the cardinal. Having seriously wounded Richelieu's envoy, the Comte de Wardes, d'Artagnan took advantage of his letter of permission and sailed to London. In England, he was forced to stay for three days, while the jeweler made two pendants, on an urgent order, who discovered the loss, Buckingham.
Returning to Paris just in time for the appointed ball, d'Artagnan received a precious ring from the queen as a thank you, and the cardinal was forced to admit that his intrigue had failed. But d'Artagnan's joy did not last long, Madame Bonacieux, who made an appointment with him, was kidnapped by the same stranger from Meng, with the participation of Mr. Bonacieux.
Dejected by this, the young man went in search of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, from whom there had been no news since he had left them on the road to London. Fortunately, everyone was alive and well and friends returned without incident to Paris, where they were waiting for the news of the imminent start of hostilities near La Rochelle, and therefore friends needed to take care of their equipment, which was not easy due to lack of funds.
Busy looking for money, d'Artagnan, by chance, intersects with Milady, a blond beauty who first liked him in Menge. Having struck up a relationship with her, he eventually ends up in her bedroom and here he learns a terrible secret. Milady was branded. The Gascon immediately remembered the story told by Athos, who was in a gloomy disposition, about the fair-haired beauty who was once his wife and found herself with a brand on her shoulder. The young man realized that he had made a terrible enemy.
Soon d'Artagnan was invited to a meeting with his lordship the Duke of Richelieu. The cardinal was well aware of all the events that had happened to his guest and immediately offered to go to his service with the rank of lieutenant. The temptation was great, but d'Artagnan, realizing all the risks, rejected this proposal. The siege of La Rochelle began and friends went to war.
Already here at the walls of the fortress, Milady made several attempts to kill the Gascon. She sent assassins, sent poisoned wine, but the Lord kept her enemy. But he almost killed her when Athos or Comte de La Fere appeared to her. He managed to eavesdrop on a conversation between the cardinal and milady, in which the cardinal sent her to England to eliminate Buckingham, and in return she negotiated a written permission to eliminate d'Artagnan. Athos took the paper from Milady at gunpoint. And then friends dined in the bastion of Saint-Gervais, repulsing several attacks of the enemy, causing the admiration of the entire French camp. This heroic deed brought d'Artagnan the long-awaited cloak of a musketeer.
In the meantime, my lady, arriving in England and using all her cunning and seductiveness, managed to find a fanatic, a naval officer, Felten, who did what she was sent for by the cardinal. The Duke of Buckingham was stabbed to death. Returning to France, she stopped at the Bethune monastery, where Madame Bonacieux was hiding from persecution. Milady, intoxicated with a thirst for revenge, poisoned the unfortunate Constance just moments before the arrival of d'Artagnan and his friends.
The series of these tragic events forces the Musketeers to act immediately. Athos finds the executioner of Lille, who also suffered from the machinations of this woman. Together, they easily find Milady and arrange a trial for her. The verdict was unanimous the death penalty, immediately enforced.
Returning to the camp, d'Artagnan was arrested by Rocheform, the same stranger from Meng, and was escorted to the cardinal. Having told his Eminence the whole story with Milady, the Gascon awaited the decision of his fate. What was his surprise when, instead of a sentence, the cardinal handed him a patent for the rank of lieutenant of the musketeers, with a name not yet entered. D'Artagnan turned to his friends with a proposal to enter his name, but unanimously refusing, they recognized their young friend as the most worthy of this honor.
Thus ended this stage of the adventures of d'Artagnan and his friends, and with it the wonderful novel by A. Dumas "The Three Musketeers".