Twenty Years After · Chapter
XLIX: Misfortune Refreshes the Memory explained
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.
What happens
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 Anne is determined. Meanwhile, the Frondeurs, including Gondy and Rochefort, anticipate further conflict as Condé's return stirs unrest. D'Artagnan sends Raoul away to the army, and the queen, recalling d'Artagnan's past service, decides to write to him for help.
Themes in this chapter
Power and Corruption
Anne of Austria's fury at the people's uprising and her willingness to starve Paris and wage civil war to maintain royal power highlight the corrupting influence of absolute authority.
Revolution and Rebellion
The popular uprising for Broussel, the barricades, and the Frondeurs' plotting against the monarchy exemplify the revolutionary spirit challenging royal rule.
Class and Ambition
The people rise for a plebeian (Broussel) against the princes, while Louvières seeks advancement, and Gondy and Rochefort maneuver for power, reflecting class tensions and ambition.
Characters to notice
- Anne of Austria
Furious at the uprising for Broussel, she plots with Mazarin and Condé to escape Paris and besiege the city, recalling d'Artagnan for aid.
- Mazarin
Cautious and calculating, he warns Anne of the dangers of civil war but reluctantly agrees to her plan, while continuing his correspondence with Cromwell.
- Gondy
The coadjutor, more powerful than the monarchy, advises Rochefort to let Beaufort continue his journey, sensing the queen's intent for a counterstroke.
- Rochefort
Dissatisfied with the calm, he consults Gondy and agrees to let Beaufort come, anticipating further conflict.
- D'Artagnan
Profits from the calm to send Raoul away to the army, and is remembered by the queen as the man who saved her, leading her to write to him.
- Raoul
Eager to fight, he is persuaded by d'Artagnan to rejoin the army after visiting Madame de Chevreuse.
- Broussel
Released from prison, he is triumphantly paraded through Paris by the people, symbolizing the plebeian uprising.
- Louvières
Proud of his role in freeing his father Broussel, he jokes about seeking a company from the queen.
Key passages
“What! the people have seen Monsieur de Condé, a prince of the blood royal, arrested by my mother-in-law, Maria de Médicis; they saw my mother-in-law, their former regent, expelled by the cardinal; they saw Monsieur de Vendôme, that is to say, the son of Henry IV , a prisoner at Vincennes; and whilst these great personages were imprisoned, insulted and threatened, they said nothing; and now for a Broussel—good God! what, then, is to become of royalty?”
Anne of Austria expresses outrage that the people remained passive when princes were arrested but rose up for a commoner like Broussel, questioning the future of royalty.
Highlights the queen's shock at the shift in popular support from nobility to the common people.
“Mazarin, clever politician as he was, was for once mistaken; Broussel was a thing, not a name.”
Mazarin wrongly thought Broussel was just a symbol, but he actually represented a real force of popular resistance.
Emphasizes Mazarin's miscalculation about the nature of the uprising.
“You will get yourself decapitated, my beautiful queen, and that would be a pity.”
Mazarin warns Anne that her aggressive plans could lead to her execution, like Charles I.
Foreshadows the dangers of civil war and the fate of monarchs who defy their people.
“I am a prisoner, then?”
Anne realizes she is effectively trapped in the palace by the people.
Shows the queen's dawning awareness of her loss of control over Paris.
