Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Life of Pi: Interesting thoughts
On Page 6 I found this description very thought provoking. "Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous possessive love that grabs at what it can. But life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a thing or two of no importance and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud."
The Three Musketeers Summary Chapters 26-35
The next day, d'Artagnan's company of guards leaves Paris for the battle. The musketeers are not set to leave for a few days, so d'Artagnan is sadly to be separated from his friends. He arrives at La Rochelle, a town taken by the British and now besieged by the French. One evening, as he's walking alone, he is shot at. He realizes that Milady planned the attack as revenge. He soon kills one and captures the other, this gets him a letter from Milady that confirms his suspicions, Madame Bonacieux is safe somewhere in France.
Milady also sends d'Artagnan poisoned wine disguised as a gift from his friends. He doesn't drink it though, the musketeers all arrive and decide they need to rescue Constance. Shortly after, the musketeers without d'Artagan, run into the Cardinal while they are eating at an inn. He asks them to be his bodyguards, they follow him to a secret meeting and listen in. He hears Milady's voice, the cardinal is instructing her to go to Britain with a message to Buckingham. He must either not continue in his war against France, or be assasinated.
Athos returns to the Inn where Milady is staying, and confronts her. She is shocked. Athos tells her he hates her, and threatens that if anything happens to d'Artagnan he will kill her.
Upon returning, the three musketeers decide they need to discuss everything with d'Artagan. Athos makes a bet with a number of soldiers that if he and his three friends can hold the Saint Gervais Fort by themselves for a full hour, the other soldiers must buy them a lavish dinner. This is a perfect place to discuss everything.
During all their discussion, they manage to fight off everyone that comes for 1 and 1/2 hours. The Cardinal authorizes Treville to make d'Artagnan a Musketeer after this.
The waiting continues at Rochelle. The musketeers receive a letter, which is from Madame de Chevreuse to Aramis. She has found out where Madame Bonacieux is being kept and she is safe in a Convent in Bethune. They decide after the seige to go rescue her.
They receive a leave, and immediately, they set off to get Madame Bonacieux. Along the way, they encounter the Man from Meung, who again escapes. He drops a note which says the town name Armentieres.
Meanwhile, Milady has gotten to the same convent. She deceives Constance into being her friend. The innocent Madame Bonacieux totally trusts Milady. Constance tells her that d'Artagan is coming to get her, which was a terrible mistake. The Man from Meung also comes to visit Milady. He is the Comte de Rochefort, the Cardinal's personal spy. Milady then tells Bonacieux that Cardinalist agents are coming to get her, and the only way she can escape them is to come with her. Constance believes her.
The carriages arrive, and they prepare to leave. Just then, d'Artagnan and the Musketeers come riding up, but Milady tells Bonacieux that the Cardinalist agents have come to get her. Milady tries to hurry but Constance is very scared. Milady realizes the only way is to poison her, she gives her a glass of wine and escapes by herself.
D'Artagnan comes in as Constance is dying. The men realize what has happened, and are aghast and Constance dies in d'Artagan's arms. They head out after the murderess
Athos instructs everyone to get ready to ride, and goes to get the final member of their party. He returns with the mysterious stranger, a man in a red cloak, whom no one recognizes.
The Musketeers, Lord de Winter, and the mysterious stranger find Milady as she is just about to cross over a river out of France. She is all alone, and they capture her. They then try her. D'Artagnan brings his charges against Milady, the murder of Madame Bonacieux, attempting to murder him with the assassins and the poisoned wine, and inciting him to murder the Comte de la Fere. Lord de Winter brings his charges which include the murder of his brother, and the murder of the Duke of Buckingham. At this the musketeers are shocked, for they had not heard of the Duke's assassination. Finally, Athos brings his charges, but just as he mentions the Fleur-de-Lis, Milady challenges them to find the court that branded her. At this, the mysterious stranger steps forward. He is the one who branded her. The charges brought, Milady is sentenced to death for her crimes. The Headsman takes her across the river, ties her hands and feet, and cuts off Milady's head.
The Musketeers now must return to duty.. Before they return, they run into Rochefort again, who arrests d'Artagnan in the Cardinal's name. D'Artagnan consents to the arrest, The Cardinal starts to tell him everything he's charged with, but d'Artagnan then tells him all about the whole story about Milady, who brought the charges against him. The Cardinal could easily execute him anyway, but instead he gives him a promotion to lieutenant in the Musketeers with the name blank, and tells the him that he is one of the Cardinal's friends. D'Artagnan tries to make his friends take the promotion instead of him, since the name is blank. All three, insist that he is the best. Unhappy to be losing all his friends, d'Artagnan accepts the promotion.
The epilogue:
With Buckingham's death, the Rochellese surrendered after about a year of siege. D'Artagnan went on to become a distinguished lieutenant in the Musketeers. Athos remained a Musketeer under d'Artagnan's leadership for a few years, then retired to a small property in the provinces. Porthos disappeared into the lap of luxury with his new wife, and Aramis, true to his word, joined the priesthood.
Milady also sends d'Artagnan poisoned wine disguised as a gift from his friends. He doesn't drink it though, the musketeers all arrive and decide they need to rescue Constance. Shortly after, the musketeers without d'Artagan, run into the Cardinal while they are eating at an inn. He asks them to be his bodyguards, they follow him to a secret meeting and listen in. He hears Milady's voice, the cardinal is instructing her to go to Britain with a message to Buckingham. He must either not continue in his war against France, or be assasinated.
Athos returns to the Inn where Milady is staying, and confronts her. She is shocked. Athos tells her he hates her, and threatens that if anything happens to d'Artagnan he will kill her.
Upon returning, the three musketeers decide they need to discuss everything with d'Artagan. Athos makes a bet with a number of soldiers that if he and his three friends can hold the Saint Gervais Fort by themselves for a full hour, the other soldiers must buy them a lavish dinner. This is a perfect place to discuss everything.
During all their discussion, they manage to fight off everyone that comes for 1 and 1/2 hours. The Cardinal authorizes Treville to make d'Artagnan a Musketeer after this.
The waiting continues at Rochelle. The musketeers receive a letter, which is from Madame de Chevreuse to Aramis. She has found out where Madame Bonacieux is being kept and she is safe in a Convent in Bethune. They decide after the seige to go rescue her.
They receive a leave, and immediately, they set off to get Madame Bonacieux. Along the way, they encounter the Man from Meung, who again escapes. He drops a note which says the town name Armentieres.
Meanwhile, Milady has gotten to the same convent. She deceives Constance into being her friend. The innocent Madame Bonacieux totally trusts Milady. Constance tells her that d'Artagan is coming to get her, which was a terrible mistake. The Man from Meung also comes to visit Milady. He is the Comte de Rochefort, the Cardinal's personal spy. Milady then tells Bonacieux that Cardinalist agents are coming to get her, and the only way she can escape them is to come with her. Constance believes her.
The carriages arrive, and they prepare to leave. Just then, d'Artagnan and the Musketeers come riding up, but Milady tells Bonacieux that the Cardinalist agents have come to get her. Milady tries to hurry but Constance is very scared. Milady realizes the only way is to poison her, she gives her a glass of wine and escapes by herself.
D'Artagnan comes in as Constance is dying. The men realize what has happened, and are aghast and Constance dies in d'Artagan's arms. They head out after the murderess
Athos instructs everyone to get ready to ride, and goes to get the final member of their party. He returns with the mysterious stranger, a man in a red cloak, whom no one recognizes.
The Musketeers, Lord de Winter, and the mysterious stranger find Milady as she is just about to cross over a river out of France. She is all alone, and they capture her. They then try her. D'Artagnan brings his charges against Milady, the murder of Madame Bonacieux, attempting to murder him with the assassins and the poisoned wine, and inciting him to murder the Comte de la Fere. Lord de Winter brings his charges which include the murder of his brother, and the murder of the Duke of Buckingham. At this the musketeers are shocked, for they had not heard of the Duke's assassination. Finally, Athos brings his charges, but just as he mentions the Fleur-de-Lis, Milady challenges them to find the court that branded her. At this, the mysterious stranger steps forward. He is the one who branded her. The charges brought, Milady is sentenced to death for her crimes. The Headsman takes her across the river, ties her hands and feet, and cuts off Milady's head.
The Musketeers now must return to duty.. Before they return, they run into Rochefort again, who arrests d'Artagnan in the Cardinal's name. D'Artagnan consents to the arrest, The Cardinal starts to tell him everything he's charged with, but d'Artagnan then tells him all about the whole story about Milady, who brought the charges against him. The Cardinal could easily execute him anyway, but instead he gives him a promotion to lieutenant in the Musketeers with the name blank, and tells the him that he is one of the Cardinal's friends. D'Artagnan tries to make his friends take the promotion instead of him, since the name is blank. All three, insist that he is the best. Unhappy to be losing all his friends, d'Artagnan accepts the promotion.
The epilogue:
With Buckingham's death, the Rochellese surrendered after about a year of siege. D'Artagnan went on to become a distinguished lieutenant in the Musketeers. Athos remained a Musketeer under d'Artagnan's leadership for a few years, then retired to a small property in the provinces. Porthos disappeared into the lap of luxury with his new wife, and Aramis, true to his word, joined the priesthood.
The Three Musketeers Summary Chapters 16-25
He runs quickly home after receiving the ring from the Queen, who was indeed very grateful. Planchett, his faithful servant shows him a letter. Madame Bonacieux would like to meet him at that night. He waited for a long time, but she didn't come, he found out from a man that a group of men had kidnapped her, among them was the mysterious stranger. He told Treville everything and decided to go find out the fate of his friends, as it would be a good idea to lay low for awhile from the cardinal. Porthos and Aramis had been injured and weren't fit to travel yet, but they were improving. Athos had barricaded himself in the cellar with his servant. The cardinal had warned everyone to hinder the men. D'Artagan and Athos were drinking some when Athos told the story of why he doesn't have a wife. His wife had been branded on the shoulder, which meant she had done some awful crime so he killed her.
The next day they traveled to pick up Porthos and Aramis, and at last they were all back together. On arriving Treville gave them all letters to leave for a campaign and to get all the proper equipment. This posed a problem since they all lacked suffiecent funds. Porthos had his lady friend help him out. D'Artagan sees Milady and receives a letter accidently from her to the Comte de Wardes and realizes that she is interested in the Count. He also gets in an argument with her brother and arranges a duel.
D'Artagan whens the duel, but spares the brother's life, who in return introduces him to Milady. He really wants to know her position at court, but is entrapped by her charms. Her pretty maid is quite in love with him. One day, Kitty takes d'Artagnan aside and confesses that she loves him. She tells him that Milady does not love him, she loves the Comte de Wardes. D'Artagnan persuades Kitty to let him overhear Milady confessing her hatred of d'Artagnan, because if he had killed Lord de Winter, she would have inherited all the Lord's money. She says the only reason she hasn't "dealt with him" is that the Cardinal wants her to treat him carefully. She also mentions her involvement in the kidnapping of Madame Bonacieux. He uses Kitty to intercept letters between Milady and the Comte. He sends her a false letter under the Comte's name, making an arrangement to meet at her house. Kitty helps d'Artagnan because she loves him, and d'Artagnan pretends to return her feelings, even having sex with her to make his act convincing.
Under the identity of the Count d'Artagan comes to Milady's room late at night, planning to compromise her and make her tell him where Constance is and reveal his true self, but he is seduced by her and receives a ring from her. d'Artagnan realizes what a mess he's gotten himself into. He goes to Athos for advice. Athos tells him to stay away from Milady, he also recognizes the ring, which is odd. Milady is infuriated at the "Comte" and wants revenge, and so sends d'Artagnan a letter, inviting him to come visit her again. He goes, and she seduces him, exchanging sex for the promise that he will kill the Comte, whom she says has greatly insulted her. D'Artagnan finally just tells her that it was he she slept with as the Comte, and produces the ring to prove it. Milady is overcome with fury, and attacks d'Artagnan. He tears her shirt, and sees that she has a Fleur-de-Lis branded on her left shoulder.
He tells Athos everything and they realize that it is Athos' branded wife. They sold the ring and both then had enough money to buy their equipment. He has two letters, he sees Constance briefly, and the Cardinal offers him a position as a guard, which is quite baffling, he refuses.
Reaction:
d'Artagan shows his poorest qualities in this part of the book. He completely uses the poor maid Kitty, for the evil Milady. He makes quite a mess, which could have easily been avoided if had more self-control. I feel very sorry for Athos at this point as well.
The next day they traveled to pick up Porthos and Aramis, and at last they were all back together. On arriving Treville gave them all letters to leave for a campaign and to get all the proper equipment. This posed a problem since they all lacked suffiecent funds. Porthos had his lady friend help him out. D'Artagan sees Milady and receives a letter accidently from her to the Comte de Wardes and realizes that she is interested in the Count. He also gets in an argument with her brother and arranges a duel.
D'Artagan whens the duel, but spares the brother's life, who in return introduces him to Milady. He really wants to know her position at court, but is entrapped by her charms. Her pretty maid is quite in love with him. One day, Kitty takes d'Artagnan aside and confesses that she loves him. She tells him that Milady does not love him, she loves the Comte de Wardes. D'Artagnan persuades Kitty to let him overhear Milady confessing her hatred of d'Artagnan, because if he had killed Lord de Winter, she would have inherited all the Lord's money. She says the only reason she hasn't "dealt with him" is that the Cardinal wants her to treat him carefully. She also mentions her involvement in the kidnapping of Madame Bonacieux. He uses Kitty to intercept letters between Milady and the Comte. He sends her a false letter under the Comte's name, making an arrangement to meet at her house. Kitty helps d'Artagnan because she loves him, and d'Artagnan pretends to return her feelings, even having sex with her to make his act convincing.
Under the identity of the Count d'Artagan comes to Milady's room late at night, planning to compromise her and make her tell him where Constance is and reveal his true self, but he is seduced by her and receives a ring from her. d'Artagnan realizes what a mess he's gotten himself into. He goes to Athos for advice. Athos tells him to stay away from Milady, he also recognizes the ring, which is odd. Milady is infuriated at the "Comte" and wants revenge, and so sends d'Artagnan a letter, inviting him to come visit her again. He goes, and she seduces him, exchanging sex for the promise that he will kill the Comte, whom she says has greatly insulted her. D'Artagnan finally just tells her that it was he she slept with as the Comte, and produces the ring to prove it. Milady is overcome with fury, and attacks d'Artagnan. He tears her shirt, and sees that she has a Fleur-de-Lis branded on her left shoulder.
He tells Athos everything and they realize that it is Athos' branded wife. They sold the ring and both then had enough money to buy their equipment. He has two letters, he sees Constance briefly, and the Cardinal offers him a position as a guard, which is quite baffling, he refuses.
Reaction:
d'Artagan shows his poorest qualities in this part of the book. He completely uses the poor maid Kitty, for the evil Milady. He makes quite a mess, which could have easily been avoided if had more self-control. I feel very sorry for Athos at this point as well.
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