# Precautions explained — Twenty Years After

> Chapter companion for Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas.

## What happens

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. Athos learns that d'Artagnan and Porthos are also imprisoned nearby, and he exchanges a subtle signal with Aramis before parting.

## Themes in this chapter

### Friendship and Loyalty

Athos seeks to contact d'Artagnan despite imprisonment; Comminges offers to relay a message out of respect for past service; the musketeers maintain solidarity.

### Power and Corruption

Mazarin uses imprisonment and manipulation to control nobles; refers to prisoners as 'guests' while keeping them behind grates and bolts.

### Class and Ambition

Comminges contrasts the noble Athos with the 'lowborn' Mazarin; Athos aligns with the Fronde as a French word and against the Italian adventurer cardinal.

## Character check-ins

### Athos

Arrested and taken to Rueil as a prisoner; lodged in the pavilion of the orangery; maintains calm demeanor and exchanges a signal with Aramis.

### Mazarin

Orders Athos's imprisonment at Rueil; plans to visit Athos for a private conversation; refers to the prisoners as 'guests'.

### Comminges

Lieutenant in charge of Athos; conveys Mazarin's orders but offers to pass a message to d'Artagnan; expresses dislike for Mazarin.

### D'Artagnan

Imprisoned in the hunting lodge opposite the orangery; described as having been 'anathematizing' Mazarin but now calm and singing Gascon songs.

### Porthos

Also imprisoned at Rueil; initially broke doors with his shoulder but has since grown calm and jokes about captivity.

### Aramis

Follows the cardinal's suite initially; turns back toward Paris after exchanging a signal with Athos, indicating a plan.

### Grimaud

Falls back into the ranks near Aramis after Athos's arrest; remains silent and untroubled due to long experience.

## Key lines

> I don't like Mazarin any better than you do. I serve the queen and that draws me naturally into the service of the cardinal; but I serve the one with joy and the other against my will.

Comminges admits he dislikes Mazarin and serves the queen willingly but the cardinal reluctantly.

_Reveals Comminges's divided loyalties and sets up potential cooperation with Athos._

> Poor d'Artagnan, so brave, so good, so terrible to the enemies of those he loves.

Athos reflects on d'Artagnan's courage and fierce loyalty to his friends.

_Highlights the bond between the musketeers and Athos's concern for his friend._

> These gentlemen, Comminges, are not prisoners, only guests; but guests so precious that I have put a grating before each of their windows and bolts to their doors, that they may not refuse to continue my visitors.

Mazarin euphemistically calls the prisoners 'guests' while describing the bars and locks that confine them.

_Illustrates Mazarin's manipulative and ironic tone regarding the imprisonment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters/lxxxii-precautions
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/twenty_years_after_se/chapters