Chapter 32: How Athos and d’Artagnan Met Once More at the Hartshorn Inn
Spoiler Notice: This analysis covers the full events of Chapter 32 of Between Two Kings. If you haven’t read through this point yet, be aware that key developments—including the emotional reunion and the invitations to the royal audience—are discussed in detail.
Summary
Amid the jubilant crowds celebrating Charles II’s return to London, d’Artagnan watches the procession and muses bitterly that his own pivotal role in the restoration remains unknown. Athos, also among the spectators, approaches him, and the two old friends embrace. D’Artagnan voices his frustration: he financed Planchet’s contribution and was instrumental in delivering General Monck, yet Charles seems to have forgotten him. Athos gently counters, explaining that he acted out of duty to a sacred principle and to honor his promise to the executed Charles I, not for gratitude. The pair walk to the Hartshorn Inn, the site of their dangerous stay years earlier during the episode with Mordaunt. In Athos’s room, they recall past dangers with a mixture of fondness and relief. A letter arrives from Parry commanding Athos to an audience with the king that evening. D’Artagnan escorts him toward the palace, still suspecting he is overlooked, until they stop at Monck’s house. There, d’Artagnan receives his own letter from Monck, informing him that the king has also summoned him. The chapter closes with the two friends, each now invited, moving toward the palace.
Key Events
- D’Artagnan, in his Musketeer lieutenant’s uniform, stands in the crowd and reflects on the irony that those who truly restored the king—especially Planchet and himself—receive no public acclaim.
- Athos finds d’Artagnan and they exchange frank words about glory, sacrifice, and the lack of reward.
- Athos reveals that Charles I’s last word, “Remember,” signified a hidden million in gold at Newcastle Abbey, which he guarded for the son.
- The two friends walk to the Hartshorn Inn, where Athos has taken a room rich in shared memories from 1649, including the looming threat of Mordaunt.
- Athos receives a letter from Parry summoning him to Saint James’s Palace between nine and eleven o’clock.
- On the way to the palace, d’Artagnan stops at Monck’s house to stow his purse; there a guard hands him a letter from Monck stating the king also requests his presence that evening.
Character Development
- D’Artagnan: His Gascon mockery masks genuine hurt. He believes his own bungled abduction of Monck inadvertently created the conditions for Charles’s generosity, yet he feels snubbed. The arrival of the king’s invitation, delivered through Monck, transforms his bitterness into cautious hope.
- Athos: Embodies complete selflessness. He explains that he served Charles II not for personal gain but to fulfill a sacred charge to the martyred Charles I. Even when he himself isn’t acknowledged, he shows no resentment and instead comforts d’Artagnan.
- Monck (off-page): The general’s letter demonstrates that he and the king have not forgotten d’Artagnan’s role, undercutting the musketeer’s cynicism.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Recognition vs. Selfless Service: D’Artagnan craves acknowledgment for his sacrifices; Athos cares only about the integrity of his own actions, regardless of whether a king notices.
- Memory and the Past: The Hartshorn Inn room summons vivid recollections of January 30, 1649—the day of Charles I’s execution and the encounter with Mordaunt. The innkeeper’s failure to recognize d’Artagnan contrasts with the friends’ deep memories, underscoring how public fame is fleeting while personal bonds endure.
- The Cost of Royal Restoration: The chapter repeatedly touches on financial ruin: d’Artagnan’s own purse, the capital borrowed from Planchet, and the lost million from Newcastle. Material sacrifice is the silent engine behind the spectacle.
- The Bourbon Stinginess: D’Artagnan’s half-serious genealogy of miserly Bourbons serves as a motif for the ingratitude of monarchs and the unfairness of unrewarded service.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter acts as an emotional pivot for d’Artagnan’s arc. After the action-heavy abduction of Monck and the tense negotiations, the narrative slows to examine consequences. It gives voice to d’Artagnan’s long-suppressed resentment while showcasing Athos’s moral clarity. The simultaneous invitations to the palace promise that the protagonist will finally receive his due, raising expectations for the next audience with Charles II. Moreover, the reunion at the Hartshorn Inn weaves the current story back to the series’ past, reaffirming the unbreakable friendship between Athos and d’Artagnan.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does d’Artagnan feel that Planchet, not Charles II, is the true architect of the restoration? D’Artagnan argues that Planchet’s money—borrowed from his grocery profits—funded the entire undertaking. He sees the king, Monck, Athos, and even himself as beneficiaries of a Parisian grocer’s fortune, hence his quip that “Charles II … was replaced on his throne by a French grocer named Planchet.”
2. How does Athos explain his own lack of interest in royal gratitude? Athos states that he acted to fulfill a promise made to Charles I at the hour of his execution. For Athos, the service was a duty undertaken for a sacred principle and for himself, not for personal reward, so he feels no disappointment at being overlooked.
3. What reverses d’Artagnan’s mood at the end of the chapter? The letter from General Monck, which conveys that the king missed d’Artagnan at the earlier procession and has set aside a specific hour to grant him an audience, finally offers the recognition d’Artagnan craved and lifts his spirits.