Louise De La Valliere
(Alexandre Dumas pere)
The story begun in The Vicomte de Bragelonne continues. The bond forged between D?Artagnan, Aramis, Athos and Porthos seems almost entirely to have broken as the four men follow their separate ways. Athos is concerned about his sensitive son, Raoul, while D?Artagnan has now found his true place at court, forever at the side of the youthful King as his most trusted protector, advisor and servant. In the summer of 1661, Louis XIV?s vivacious young court bickers, plays, plots and gossips. Madame, the beautiful Duchess of Orleans is at the centre of events, flirting with ardent admirers the Comte de Guiche and the Duke of Buckingham before embarking on a scandalous affair with the King himself, much to the anger of her effeminate but sulky husband. Yet before too long it is rumoured that the rather plainer lady-in-waiting Louise de la Valliere has usurped Madame in the King?s affections. What begins as a bluff to divert gossip transforms into great love between the King and Louise. Despite the efforts of the jealous Duchess of Orleans to disgrace Louise and separate the couple, love and the will of a King triumph. However, Louise?s betrothed, Raoul, is devastated when he hears of her betrayal. The unfortunate Superintendent of Finances, Fouquet, falls even further into the King?s bad favour, and can rely only on the secretive Aramis for help. Aramis is still putting his murky plans concerning the masked prisoner into action, and his plots leads him to be secretly nominated General of the Jesuit Order with access to immense wealth and power. D?Artagnan tries to pierce some of Aramis? tangled plots, but although aware that he is being duped, is unable to discover the key to the mystery. Good-hearted Porthos, as ever, is manipulated by his sharper friends for their own means.
Resumos Relacionados
- The Man In The Iron Mask
- The Three Musketeers
- The Three Musketeers
- Twenty Years After
- The Three Musketeers
|
|
