Twenty Years After · Chapter
The Ghost of Cardinal Richelieu explained
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.
What happens
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, but resolves to manipulate the factions. He summons D'Artagnan, disguises himself as a musketeer, and sets out to inspect the outposts, confident in his ability to navigate the crisis.
Themes in this chapter
Power and Corruption
Mazarin's avarice and manipulation of taxes and offices have driven the people to revolt, illustrating the corrupting influence of power.
Class and Ambition
The discontent of the lower classes and the magistrates, contrasted with Mazarin's ambition to maintain his position despite being a foreigner, highlights class tensions.
Revolution and Rebellion
The chapter sets the stage for the Fronde, with the people arming themselves and the parliament resisting the crown's authority.
Characters to notice
- Mazarin
The cardinal is alone and anxious, reflecting on the popular unrest and his precarious position as a foreign minister.
- D'Artagnan
The lieutenant of musketeers is summoned by Mazarin and agrees to escort him on a night inspection of the outposts.
- Bernouin
Mazarin's valet, who assists him with his disguise and lights the way downstairs.
- Emery
The superintendent of finance, mentioned as the object of popular hatred and the son of the bankrupt banker Particelli.
- Comminges
Mentioned as having sustained an injury, though D'Artagnan notes he is in the Guards, not the Musketeers.
Key passages
“The ghost of Richelieu was—Mazarin.”
Mazarin is the pale successor to the great Cardinal Richelieu, occupying his place but lacking his authority.
This line underscores the contrast between Richelieu's powerful legacy and Mazarin's precarious position.
“Crushed and impoverished by taxation—imposed by Mazarin, whose avarice impelled him to grind them down to the very dust—the people... had nothing left to them except their souls.”
The people are so burdened by Mazarin's greedy taxes that they have lost everything but their souls.
This highlights the extreme poverty and resentment fueling the rebellion.
“I would engage with four of my men to put to flight a hundred of these clowns.”
D'Artagnan boasts that he and four musketeers could easily scatter a hundred rioters.
This shows D'Artagnan's confidence and the perceived superiority of the Musketeers over the common people.