# Twenty Years After — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas.

- [The Ghost of Cardinal Richelieu](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/i-the-ghost-of-cardinal-richelieu.md): Cardinal Mazarin, alone in the Palais Royal, reflects on the growing discontent among the French people and the magistrates, who are enraged by his taxes and the sale of appointments. He fears the mob and the parliament,
- [A Nightly Patrol](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/ii-a-nightly-patrol.md): Mazarin and his party patrol the agitated streets of Paris, observing the growing unrest and the birth of the 'Fronde' movement. D'Artagnan leads the escort with stoic professionalism. Mazarin questions Guitant about d'A
- [Dead Animosities](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/iii-dead-animosities.md): D'Artagnan escorts Rochefort from the Bastille to meet Cardinal Mazarin. Rochefort and d'Artagnan renew their old friendship and make a pact to help each other. Mazarin questions Rochefort about his imprisonment and seek
- [Anne of Austria at the Age of Forty-Six](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/iv-anne-of-austria-at-the-age-of-forty-six.md): Mazarin visits Queen Anne in her private chambers, seeking to uncover her past allies and press her into political action. Through a tense exchange, Anne defends her honor by revealing relics from her relationship with B
- [The Gascon and the Italian](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/v-the-gascon-and-the-italian.md): Cardinal Mazarin, seeking to employ d'Artagnan for a secret mission, recalls the musketeer's past service to the queen and offers him money to reunite his old friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. D'Artagnan, suspicious of
- [VI: D'Artagnan in His Fortieth Year](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/vi-d-artagnan-in-his-fortieth-year.md): D'Artagnan reflects on his life since the events of The Three Musketeers, feeling lonely and adrift after his friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis have left him. He has become a typical soldier, finding comfort in a relati
- [VII: Touches Upon the Strange Effects a Half-Pistole May Have Upon a Beadle and a Chorister](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/vii-touches-upon-the-strange-effects-a-half-pistole-may-have-upon-a-beadle-and-a-chorister.md): D'Artagnan, seeking news of his old friend Aramis, tracks down Bazin, now a beadle at Notre Dame. Bazin rebuffs him, claiming ignorance of Aramis's whereabouts. D'Artagnan then encounters Rochefort, recently freed, who h
- [How d'Artagnan, on Going to a Distance to Discover Aramis, Discovers His Old Friend on Horseback Behind His Own Planchet](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/viii-how-d-artagnan-on-going-to-a-distance-to-discover-aramis-discovers-his-old-friend-on-horseback-behind-his-own-planchet.md): D'Artagnan, accompanied by his servant Planchet, sets out for Noisy to find Aramis. Along the way, they encounter a band of armed men lying in ambush, who mistake d'Artagnan for someone else. After a tense confrontation,
- [The Abbé d’Herblay](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/ix-the-abb-d-herblay.md): D'Artagnan visits Aramis, now an abbé living in a Jesuit convent, and they discuss the political turmoil in France. Aramis criticizes Mazarin as an upstart and reveals his connections with the Fronde, while d'Artagnan re
- [X: Monsieur Porthos du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/x-monsieur-porthos-du-vallon-de-bracieux-de-pierrefonds.md): D'Artagnan, guided by information from Aramis, sets out to find Porthos, now styling himself Du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds after acquiring the estates of Bracieux and Pierrefonds. Traveling with Planchet, he journ
- [XI: How d'Artagnan, in Discovering the Retreat of Porthos, Perceives That Wealth Does Not Necessarily Produce Happiness](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xi-how-d-artagnan-in-discovering-the-retreat-of-porthos-perceives-that-wealth-does-not-necessarily-produce-happiness.md): D'Artagnan visits Porthos at his château Bracieux, finding him wealthy but unhappy. Porthos, now a widower with forty thousand francs a year, laments his solitary life and lack of adventure. D'Artagnan recruits him for t
- [In Which It Is Shown That if Porthos Was Discontented with His Condition, Mousqueton Was Completely Satisfied with His](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xii-in-which-it-is-shown-that-if-porthos-was-discontented-with-his-condition-mousqueton-was-completely-satisfied-with-his.md): D'Artagnan reflects on human discontent while visiting Porthos, who is unhappy despite his wealth and desires a barony. In contrast, Mousqueton is perfectly content and only wishes to be called 'Mouston' for dignity. D'A
- [Two Angelic Faces](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xiii-two-angelic-faces.md): D'Artagnan and Planchet travel to Blois to visit Athos, fearing he has become a broken, drunken man. Upon arrival, they find Athos remarkably well-preserved, dignified, and living in a comfortable château. Athos introduc
- [The Castle of Bragelonne](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xiv-the-castle-of-bragelonne.md): D'Artagnan visits Athos at his estate, Bragelonne, and is astonished by the change in his friend. Athos explains that he has inherited the property and devoted himself to raising the orphan Raoul, which has reformed his 
- [XV: Athos as a Diplomatist](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xv-athos-as-a-diplomatist.md): D'Artagnan spends a sleepless night reflecting on his reunion with Athos, noting his friend's intelligence and moral strength but also feeling unease about Athos's secrecy regarding the youth Raoul and the absence of Gri
- [The Duc de Beaufort](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xvi-the-duc-de-beaufort.md): Mazarin, haunted by the fear of the Duc de Beaufort's escape, overhears a prophecy from his guards that the duke will escape before Whitsuntide. His superstitious nature is stirred, and he questions La Ramée, the officer
- [Describes How the Duc de Beaufort Amused His Leisure Hours in the Donjon of Vincennes](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xvii-describes-how-the-duc-de-beaufort-amused-his-leisure-hours-in-the-donjon-of-vincennes.md): The Duc de Beaufort, imprisoned in Vincennes, passes his time by drawing caricatures of Cardinal Mazarin and training his dog Pistache to perform satirical tricks that mock the cardinal and the court. Despite strict surv
- [Grimaud Begins His Functions](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xviii-grimaud-begins-his-functions.md): Grimaud, sent by Athos, presents himself at Vincennes and is hired as a keeper for the Duke de Beaufort. He immediately begins his duties by confiscating a leaden comb from the duke, earning the duke's hatred. Later, Gri
- [In Which the Contents of the Pâtés Made by the Successor of Father Marteau Are Described](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xix-in-which-the-contents-of-the-p-t-s-made-by-the-successor-of-father-marteau-are-described.md): The Duc de Beaufort, imprisoned at Vincennes, receives a secret message from Rochefort hidden in a tennis ball, informing him that his deliverance is near. He arranges with La Ramée to have a pâté supplied by a new confe
- [One of Marie Michon's Adventures](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xx-one-of-marie-michon-s-adventures.md): Athos brings Raoul to Paris and presents him to the Duchess de Chevreuse, revealing that Raoul is the son of Marie Michon (the duchess herself). The duchess agrees to help advance Raoul's military career, while Athos pre
- [The Abbé Scarron](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxi-the-abb-scarron.md): Athos and Raoul attend a gathering at the home of the disabled poet Abbé Scarron, where the salon is filled with nobles and literati. The conversation turns to Scarron's loss of his pension due to Cardinal Mazarin's disp
- [Saint Denis](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxii-saint-denis.md): Athos prepares Raoul for his departure, giving him a sword and offering paternal advice. They visit the cathedral of Saint Denis, where Athos reflects on the legacy of King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu, teaching Rao
- [One of the Forty Methods of Escape of the Duc de Beaufort](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxiii-one-of-the-forty-methods-of-escape-of-the-duc-de-beaufort.md): The Duc de Beaufort, imprisoned at Vincennes, eagerly anticipates his escape, which he has been planning with the help of Grimaud. During a supper with his keeper La Ramée, Beaufort distracts him with talk of escape meth
- [The Timely Arrival of d’Artagnan in Paris](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxiv-the-timely-arrival-of-d-artagnan-in-paris.md): D'Artagnan arrives in Paris and meets Porthos at the Hôtel de la Chevrette. They visit Cardinal Mazarin, who offers them rewards for their service. News arrives that the Duc de Beaufort has escaped from Vincennes, and Ma
- [An Adventure on the High Road](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxv-an-adventure-on-the-high-road.md): D'Artagnan, Porthos, and Mousqueton pursue the escaped Duc de Beaufort, commandeering horses from Monsieur de Montbazon's stable and following the trail through the night, despite their own mounts collapsing from exhaust
- [XXVI: The Rencontre](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxvi-the-rencontre.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos, pursuing the Duc de Beaufort on behalf of Cardinal Mazarin, encounter a series of ambushes. They fight fiercely, but are ultimately surrounded by Beaufort's men. Athos and Aramis reveal themselves
- [The Four Old Friends Prepare to Meet Again](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxvii-the-four-old-friends-prepare-to-meet-again.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos discuss their recent meeting with Cardinal Mazarin, who compensated them for their lost horses but did not mention Porthos's barony. They prepare to meet Athos and Aramis at the Place Royale, thoug
- [XXVIII: The Place Royale](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxviii-the-place-royale.md): The four former musketeers meet at the Place Royale to reconcile after their recent conflicts. Athos mediates a tense confrontation, leading to a solemn oath of eternal friendship sworn on a diamond cross, despite their 
- [The Ferry Across the Oise](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxix-the-ferry-across-the-oise.md): Raoul, traveling toward Flanders, writes a letter to Athos expressing his loneliness and affection, then continues his journey. At the Oise ferry, he witnesses a young man and his horse drowning after the ferryboat break
- [XXX: Skirmishing](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxx-skirmishing.md): Raoul and the Count de Guiche travel toward the front lines of the war, sharing stories of court and adventure. After a brief halt at Noyon and a night in Arras, they set out on a crossroad toward Bethune. Their tutor, M
- [XXXI: The Monk](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxi-the-monk.md): De Guiche and Raoul encounter a wounded man who begs for a priest before he dies. They ride to find one and meet a suspicious monk with a sinister appearance. Despite their misgivings, they compel him to attend the dying
- [The Absolution](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxii-the-absolution.md): The executioner of Bethune, dying, confesses to a young monk that he was the instrument of a private vengeance, having killed a woman named Anne de Bueil. The monk, who is actually John Francis de Winter, reveals that th
- [Grimaud Speaks](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxiii-grimaud-speaks.md): Grimaud is left alone with the dying executioner of Bethune, who reveals that the monk who stabbed him is the son of Milady. The executioner confesses that he revealed the secret of Milady's death in confession to the mo
- [On the Eve of Battle](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxiv-on-the-eve-of-battle.md): Raoul and the Count de Guiche encounter the Spanish army near Lens and report to the Prince de Condé. The prince interrogates a multilingual prisoner with Raoul's help, then devises a battle plan to retake Lens and defea
- [A Dinner in the Old Style](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxv-a-dinner-in-the-old-style.md): The four former musketeers reunite for a dinner at the Hermitage, where they gradually shed their initial formality through champagne and shared memories. They discuss Mazarin's corruption, the search for those who aided
- [A Letter from Charles the First](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxvi-a-letter-from-charles-the-first.md): Queen Henrietta Maria and her daughter, Princess Henrietta, are in prayer at the Carmelite Convent in Paris, living in poverty and despair. Lord de Winter arrives from England with a letter from King Charles I, who is ab
- [Cromwell's Letter](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxvii-cromwell-s-letter.md): Cardinal Mazarin receives a confidential letter from Oliver Cromwell, delivered by the enigmatic Mordaunt, in which Cromwell outlines the political situation in England and requests France's neutrality in the conflict ag
- [Henrietta Maria and Mazarin](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxviii-henrietta-maria-and-mazarin.md): Queen Henrietta Maria of England petitions Cardinal Mazarin for aid for her husband, King Charles I, who is on the verge of a decisive battle against his rebellious subjects. Mazarin, though outwardly respectful, evades 
- [How, Sometimes, the Unhappy Mistake Chance for Providence](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xxxix-how-sometimes-the-unhappy-mistake-chance-for-providence.md): Queen Henrietta Maria, in distress over the plight of her husband King Charles I, meets with Lord de Winter to discuss finding the four former musketeers to aid the king. The young Viscount de Bragelonne arrives with a l
- [XL: Uncle and Nephew](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xl-uncle-and-nephew.md): Lord de Winter is confronted by his nephew Mordaunt, who demands to know the truth about his mother, Milady. Mordaunt reveals that he has learned from the executioner of Bethune that de Winter and his accomplices murdere
- [Paternal Affection](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xli-paternal-affection.md): Athos listens with paternal joy to Raoul's account of the battle and his service under the Prince de Condé. Their reunion is interrupted by Lord de Winter, who arrives deeply troubled after a visit from Mordaunt, Milady'
- [XLII: Another Queen in Want of Help](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xlii-another-queen-in-want-of-help.md): Athos and Aramis prepare to depart on a secret mission, exchanging letters and funds with d'Artagnan and Porthos. They meet Lord de Winter and visit the impoverished Queen Henrietta of England at the Louvre, where she se
- [In Which It Is Proved That First Impulses Are Oftentimes the Best](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xliii-in-which-it-is-proved-that-first-impulses-are-oftentimes-the-best.md): Athos and Aramis travel to Boulogne with Lord de Winter, intending to sail to England. On the jetty, they encounter a mysterious young man who questions them about Cardinal Mazarin and later seems to follow them. Athos r
- [Te Deum for the Victory of Lens](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xliv-te-deum-for-the-victory-of-lens.md): The chapter describes the public celebration of the victory of Lens, with a Te Deum sung at Notre Dame. Amid the festivities, the political tension between the court and the parliament simmers. D'Artagnan and Porthos enc
- [The Beggar of St. Eustache](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xlv-the-beggar-of-st-eustache.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos are received by Mazarin and then by Queen Anne of Austria, who thanks them for their service. Meanwhile, the coadjutor Gondy, after being slighted at court, begins to organize a rebellion, meeting 
- [The Tower of St. Jacques de la Boucherie](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xlvi-the-tower-of-st-jacques-de-la-boucherie.md): Gondy meets with Planchet, who offers his services to the Fronde, and then with Rochefort to coordinate the rebellion. Later, in the tower, a mendicant reveals he has mobilized ten thousand men for the uprising and signa
- [The Riot](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xlvii-the-riot.md): Gondy observes the nocturnal preparations for revolt in Paris, including barricades and arms distribution. The next morning, the city is in full rebellion. The Maréchal de la Meilleraie attempts to suppress the uprising 
- [XLVIII: The Riot Becomes a Revolution](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xlviii-the-riot-becomes-a-revolution.md): The queen, Anne of Austria, faces a full-blown revolution as the Parisian mob demands the release of Councillor Broussel. Despite her fierce resistance, she is forced to sign the order after the palace gates are breached
- [XLIX: Misfortune Refreshes the Memory](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xlix-misfortune-refreshes-the-memory.md): Anne of Austria, furious over the people's uprising for Broussel, plots with Mazarin and the Prince de Condé to escape Paris with the king, intending to besiege the city. Mazarin warns of the dangers of civil war, but An
- [The Interview](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/l-the-interview.md): D'Artagnan receives simultaneous summons from Queen Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarin. He first visits the queen, who reminds him of past service and asks for his loyalty, then meets with Mazarin, who attempts to send
- [The Flight](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/li-the-flight.md): D'Artagnan orchestrates the escape of Cardinal Mazarin from Paris amidst political unrest. After a grand banquet at the Palais Royal, Mazarin entrusts d'Artagnan with the mission to escort the queen and king to Saint Ger
- [The Carriage of Monsieur le Coadjuteur](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lii-the-carriage-of-monsieur-le-coadjuteur.md): D'Artagnan, needing to spirit the queen and king out of Paris, commandeers the carriage of the Coadjuteur (Gondy) by impersonating him. He seizes the coachman, dons his cloak and hat, and drives the royal family past the
- [How d’Artagnan and Porthos Earned by Selling Straw, the One Two Hundred and Nineteen, and the Other Two Hundred and Fifteen Louis d’Or](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/liii-how-d-artagnan-and-porthos-earned-by-selling-straw-the-one-two-hundred-and-nineteen-and-the-other-two-hundred-and-fifteen-louis-d-or.md): The queen and court flee Paris for Saint Germain in the middle of the night, with d'Artagnan and Porthos riding ahead to secure lodgings. Upon arrival, d'Artagnan cleverly profits by selling straw for beds at inflated pr
- [In Which We Hear Tidings of Aramis](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/liv-in-which-we-hear-tidings-of-aramis.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos visit Raoul at the camp near Saint Omer, comforting him with a fabricated story about Athos and Aramis being in Constantinople. They then travel to Boulogne, where they meet Mordaunt, who escorts t
- [LV: The Scotchman](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lv-the-scotchman.md): Athos and Aramis arrive at the royalist camp near Newcastle to warn King Charles I that Cromwell has arrived and that the Scottish army, led by Lord Leven, has betrayed him by agreeing to sell him to the English Parliame
- [The Avenger](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lvi-the-avenger.md): King Charles I, betrayed by the Scots, is surrounded by Cromwell's forces. Athos, Aramis, Lord Winter, and the disguised king prepare a desperate escape plan. Winter is killed by his nephew Mordaunt, who reveals himself 
- [Oliver Cromwell](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lvii-oliver-cromwell.md): Mordaunt reports to Cromwell after the battle, revealing that he killed his uncle Lord Winter. He requests the two French prisoners (d'Artagnan and Porthos) as his reward, which Cromwell grants. Cromwell reflects on the 
- [LVIII: Jésus Seigneur](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lviii-j-sus-seigneur.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos confront Mordaunt, who claims authority from Cromwell to take their prisoners (Athos and Aramis). D'Artagnan feigns compliance, requesting a written order, then orchestrates a clever escape. He sig
- [In Which It Is Shown That Under the Most Trying Circumstances Noble Natures Never Lose Their Courage, nor Good Stomachs Their Appetites](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lix-in-which-it-is-shown-that-under-the-most-trying-circumstances-noble-natures-never-lose-their-courage-nor-good-stomachs-their-appetites.md): After escaping from the battle, the four musketeers regroup in a wood. D'Artagnan and Porthos urge a return to France, but Athos and Aramis resolve to stay in England to save King Charles I, having pledged their word to 
- [LX: Respect to Fallen Majesty](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lx-respect-to-fallen-majesty.md): The four friends, having joined King Charles I's escort under Colonel Harrison, dine with the Puritan officers. D'Artagnan cleverly informs the king that the wounded man from the ambush is still alive, lifting Charles's 
- [LXI: D’Artagnan Hits on a Plan](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxi-d-artagnan-hits-on-a-plan.md): D'Artagnan devises a plan to rescue King Charles I by befriending Captain Groslow, a conceited and stupid officer guarding the king. He arranges a card game in the king's room, using the game as a distraction to draw the
- [London](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxii-london.md): The four musketeers arrive in London, disguise themselves as Puritans, and witness the political turmoil surrounding King Charles I's capture and impending trial. They discuss the hopelessness of the royal cause, the rol
- [LXIII: The Trial](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxiii-the-trial.md): King Charles I is brought before the high court in London, where a reduced number of judges preside. The four French musketeers—Athos, D'Artagnan, Porthos, and Aramis—attend the trial, witnessing the king's dignified def
- [LXIV: Whitehall](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxiv-whitehall.md): Charles I is condemned to death. The four musketeers devise a plan to rescue him: D'Artagnan aims to eliminate the executioner, Aramis disguises himself as Bishop Juxon to enter the prison and inform the king, and Athos 
- [LXV: The Workmen](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxv-the-workmen.md): As the scaffold is built outside the king's window, Parry discovers that the workmen are actually Athos and Porthos, who are creating a trapdoor for the king's escape. Aramis, disguised as a deacon, gains entry with Bish
- [Remember!](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxvi-remember.md): King Charles I is executed on the scaffold. Athos, hidden beneath the planks, hears the king's final words and catches his blood. The king speaks to his children, prays, and gives the signal 'Remember!' before the masked
- [The Man in the Mask](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxvii-the-man-in-the-mask.md): After King Charles I's execution, the four musketeers reunite. Athos is distraught, having witnessed the king's death from under the scaffold. D'Artagnan reveals he followed the masked executioner to a house and set a wa
- [Cromwell's House](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxviii-cromwell-s-house.md): Mordaunt meets with Cromwell in a secret London retreat, discussing the execution of Charles I and a failed rescue plot. Cromwell reveals he knew of the conspiracy and allowed it to proceed, having taken precautions. He 
- [Conversational](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxix-conversational.md): Mordaunt is confronted by the four musketeers in a tense standoff. After verbal sparring, Mordaunt chooses Athos as his opponent, but Athos refuses to duel him. Instead, lots are drawn and d'Artagnan is selected to fight
- [The Skiff Lightning](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxx-the-skiff-lightning.md): Mordaunt, having escaped the musketeers, rushes to Greenwich to board the Lightning, a felucca commanded by Captain Groslow under Cromwell's orders, intending to ambush and kill the four friends. Meanwhile, d'Artagnan, A
- [LXXI: Port Wine](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxi-port-wine.md): The servants Blaisois, Mousqueton, and Grimaud discuss their thirst and devise a plan to steal port wine from the English. Grimaud enters the hold through a hole in the partition, but instead of wine, he discovers gunpow
- [End of the Port Wine Mystery](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxii-end-of-the-port-wine-mystery.md): Grimaud reveals that the casks aboard the felucca contain gunpowder, not port wine. D'Artagnan wakes his friends and explains that Captain Groslow and his lieutenant Mordaunt plan to destroy them. The four musketeers and
- [LXXIII: Fatality](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxiii-fatality.md): The four friends witness the explosion of the felucca after Mordaunt sets it on fire. Mordaunt survives and swims toward their boat, begging for mercy. Despite Athos's pleas to save him, the others refuse. Mordaunt grabs
- [How Mousqueton, After Being Very Nearly Roasted, Had a Narrow Escape of Being Eaten](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxiv-how-mousqueton-after-being-very-nearly-roasted-had-a-narrow-escape-of-being-eaten.md): After the harrowing scene at sea, the group finds a supply of food and wine on their boat, restoring their spirits. They are rescued by a Dunkirk craft and land in France. D'Artagnan and Porthos decide to separate from A
- [The Return](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxv-the-return.md): Athos and Aramis return to Paris after their mission in England, only to find the city in a state of civil war. They are detained at the gate by the Parisian militia but are recognized and assisted by Planchet, who has b
- [The Ambassadors](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxvi-the-ambassadors.md): Athos and Aramis return to Paris and go to the Louvre to report to Queen Henrietta about King Charles I's fate. They find the queen already receiving news from other ambassadors, the Duc de Châtillon and Monsieur de Flam
- [The Three Lieutenants of the Generalissimo](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxvii-the-three-lieutenants-of-the-generalissimo.md): Athos and Aramis navigate the political and military tensions of Paris, visiting key figures like the Duc de Bouillon and the Duc de Beaufort, observing the Fronde's internal divisions and the looming battle at Charenton
- [The Battle of Charenton](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxviii-the-battle-of-charenton.md): Athos and Aramis arrive near the battlefield of Charenton, where a truce and conference are underway between the royalist and Frondeur leaders. They learn from the Duc de Châtillon that d'Artagnan has not been seen for s
- [The Road to Picardy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxix-the-road-to-picardy.md): Athos and Aramis leave Paris, which is in chaos from famine and factional strife, to search for d'Artagnan and Porthos. They follow a trail of clues left by their friends—carved messages on a table, a drawing on a wall, 
- [LXXX: The Gratitude of Anne of Austria](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxx-the-gratitude-of-anne-of-austria.md): Athos obtains an audience with Anne of Austria at Saint Germain to plead for the release of his friends d'Artagnan and Porthos, who have disappeared after returning from England. Despite the queen's initial haughtiness a
- [Cardinal Mazarin as King](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxi-cardinal-mazarin-as-king.md): Mazarin manipulates Anne of Austria, refusing to abdicate despite the deputies' demands, and asserts his quasi-royal power. Anne reflects on past humiliations and the imprisonment of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, while Maz
- [Precautions](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxii-precautions.md): Cardinal Mazarin travels to Rueil with Athos as his prisoner, ordering him to be lodged in the pavilion of the orangery. Comminges conveys Mazarin's refusal to place Athos with d'Artagnan, but agrees to pass a message. A
- [LXXXIII: Strength and Sagacity](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxiii-strength-and-sagacity.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos are imprisoned in a pavilion at Rueil. D'Artagnan paces restlessly while Porthos sleeps after a heavy meal. D'Artagnan reflects on their 83 hours of captivity and rejects Porthos's simple escape pl
- [Strength and Sagacity—Continued](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxiv-strength-and-sagacity-continued.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos, imprisoned in the orangery, devise a clever escape plan. D'Artagnan directs Porthos to use his immense strength to bend an iron bar from the window, then they lure two Swiss guards one by one, ove
- [LXXXV: The Oubliettes of Cardinal Mazarin](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxv-the-oubliettes-of-cardinal-mazarin.md): D'Artagnan and Porthos follow Cardinal Mazarin through the orangery of the castle of Rueil, discovering a hidden staircase leading to his treasury. They confront Mazarin, who initially offers them liberty, but d'Artagnan
- [LXXXVI: Conferences](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxvi-conferences.md): Mazarin, now a prisoner of Athos, d'Artagnan, and Porthos, attempts to negotiate his freedom by offering them a key to escape through the park. The three friends, suspicious but willing, accept the offer and force Mazari
- [In Which We Begin to Think That Porthos Will Be at Last a Baron, and d’Artagnan a Captain](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxvii-in-which-we-begin-to-think-that-porthos-will-be-at-last-a-baron-and-d-artagnan-a-captain.md): The four musketeers, having freed Mazarin, transport him to Porthos's château at Pierrefonds. They plan to hold him there while negotiating terms. Aramis intercepts Mazarin's couriers and joins them. Raoul arrives, reuni
- [LXXXVIII: Shows How with Threat and Pen More Is Effected Than by the Sword](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxviii-shows-how-with-threat-and-pen-more-is-effected-than-by-the-sword.md): D'Artagnan, having secured the capture of Cardinal Mazarin, prepares to travel to Saint Germain to negotiate with Queen Anne of Austria. He first secures the loyalty of Aramis, Porthos, and Athos, ensuring they will not 
- [In Which It Is Shown That It Is Sometimes More Difficult for Kings to Return to the Capitals of Their Kingdoms, Than to Make an Exit](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxix-in-which-it-is-shown-that-it-is-sometimes-more-difficult-for-kings-to-return-to-the-capitals-of-their-kingdoms-than-to-make-an-exit.md): Athos and Aramis return to Paris to persuade the duchesses de Longueville and de Chevreuse to accept the peace treaty. Aramis convinces Madame de Longueville by promising her the viceroyalty of Normandy and other rewards
- [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/xc-conclusion.md): The four friends part ways after the Fronde ends, with Athos returning to Bragelonne, Aramis visiting Normandy, Porthos heading to his barony, and d'Artagnan preparing for the campaign in Flanders. Porthos reveals that t
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/endnotes.md): The chapter consists of endnotes providing historical and explanatory references for the main text, including a note on Mazarin's secret marriage to Anne of Austria, a reference to The Three Musketeers, a mention of a se

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