Chapter 40 Summary

It's his first face-to-face meeting with the cardinal, and the cardinal impresses d'Artagnan by recounting everything he knows about what has happened to the young man since he left his home in Gascony. Finally the cardinal gets to the point: he offers d'Artagnan a position in his own guards. D'Artagnan knows it's dangerous to decline, but tries to do so in a way that doesn't insult the cardinal. The cardinal half cajoles, by offering a promotion, and half threatens by telling d'Artagnan that he has heard complaints against him. D'Artagnan still respectfully declines, and the cardinal reacts with anger that nevertheless seems tinged with respect. The next day the Musketeers and d'Artagnan's regiment leave on their military campaign – the siege of La Rochelle. As they march out of Paris, d'Artagnan doesn't notice that Lady de Winter points him out to two seedy-looking men...