<P> Shortly afterwards, d'Artagnan begins an affair with Madame Bonacieux . Arriving for an assignation, he sees signs of a struggle and discovers that Rochefort and M. Bonacieux, acting under the orders of the Cardinal, have assaulted and imprisoned her . D'Artagnan and his friends, now recovered from their injuries, return to Paris . D'Artagnan meets Milady de Winter officially, and recognizes her as one of the Cardinal's agents, but becomes infatuated with her until her maid reveals that Milady is indifferent toward him . Entering her quarters in the dark, he pretends to be the Comte de Wardes and trysts with her . He finds a fleur - de-lis branded on Milady's shoulder, marking her as a felon . Discovering his identity, Milady attempts to kill him but d'Artagnan eludes her . He is ordered to the Siege of La Rochelle . </P> <P> He is informed that the Queen has rescued Constance from prison . In an inn, the musketeers overhear the Cardinal asking Milady to murder the Duke of Buckingham, a supporter of the Protestant rebels at La Rochelle who has sent troops to assist them . Richelieu gives her a letter that excuses her actions as under orders from the Cardinal himself, but Athos takes it . The next morning, Athos bets that he, d'Artagnan, Porthos, and Aramis, and their servants can hold the recaptured St. Gervais bastion against the rebels for an hour, for the purpose of discussing their next course of action . They resist for an hour and a half before retreating, killing 22 Rochellese in total . They warn Lord de Winter and the Duke of Buckingham . Milady is imprisoned on arrival in England, but she seduces her guard, Felton (a fictionalization of the real John Felton), and persuades him to allow her escape and to kill Buckingham himself . On her return to France, Milady hides in a convent where Constance is also staying . The naïve Constance clings to Milady, who sees a chance for revenge on d'Artagnan, and fatally poisons Constance before d'Artagnan can rescue her . The Musketeers arrest Milady before she reaches Cardinal Richelieu . They bring an official executioner, put her on trial and sentence her to death . After her execution, the four friends return to the Siege of La Rochelle . The Comte de Rochefort arrests d'Artagnan and takes him to the Cardinal . When questioned about Milady's execution, d'Artagnan presents her letter of pardon as his own . Impressed with d'Artagnan's willfulness and secretly glad to be rid of Milady, the Cardinal destroys the letter and writes a new order, giving the bearer a promotion to lieutenant in the Tréville company of musketeers, leaving the name blank . D'Artagnan offers the letter to Athos, Porthos, and Aramis in turn but each refuses it; Athos because it is below him, Porthos because he is retiring to marry his wealthy mistress, and Aramis because he is joining the priesthood . D'Artagnan, though heartbroken and full of regrets, finally receives the promotion he had coveted . </P> <Dl> <Dt> Musketeers </Dt> </Dl> <Ul> <Li> Athos--Comte de la Fère: he has never recovered from his marriage to Milady and seeks solace in wine . He becomes a father figure to d'Artagnan . </Li> <Li> Aramis--René d'Herblay, a handsome young man who hesitates between his religious calling and his fondness for women and scheming . </Li> <Li> Porthos--M. du Vallon: a dandy, fond of fashionable clothes and keen to make a fortune for himself . The least cerebral of the quartet, he compensates with his homeric strength of body and character . </Li> <Li> D'Artagnan--Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan: a young, foolhardy, brave and clever man seeking his fortune in Paris . </Li> </Ul>

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