Chapter 1 Summary

The story begins in April 1625, when the young d'Artagnan leaves his father to journey to Paris in the hope of becoming one of the King's elite guard, the Musketeers. His father presents him with three parting gifts. The first is an excessively old and ugly yellow horse; the second is paltry sum of thirteen crowns; and the third was perhaps the most valuable -- a letter to Monsieur de Treville, the captain of the Musketeers. The elder d'Artagnan had once been M. de Treville's neighbor, and d'Artagnan's father was sure this friendship would procure a place for his son. The father then instructs his son to obtain from his mother her recipe for a miraculous healing balm, and offers the advice that his son should never back down from a duel or to allow anyone to insult his honour.

The younger d'Artagnan takes...