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Tri-monthly Read > The Three Musketeers, Part 3

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message 1: by ☯Emily , moderator (new)

☯Emily  Ginder | 772 comments Mod
All comments concerning chapters 31-45 should be included in this section.


message 2: by Mochajunkie (new)

Mochajunkie I am listening to this by audiobook. I have found some lovely phrases and expressions. I wanted to quote them, but it was hard to back up and find the exact quote, so I found the Gutenberg Project's text. And as I searched, I realized they are different translations. I'm not finding what I liked in the GP text. In addition, I have found more than the words of phrases being different, but also the order of some events.

Also, I need to discuss something else in chapters 33-36. Is anyone else to this point?


message 3: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter Give me a day or two and I will be...


message 4: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter Mochajunkie wrote: "I am listening to this by audiobook. I have found some lovely phrases and expressions. I wanted to quote them, but it was hard to back up and find the exact quote, so I found the Gutenberg Project'..."

I've read those chapters now if you want to discuss?


message 5: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter I need a character I can like. I despite Athos, and even D'Artagnan has turned into an arse.


message 6: by Louise (new)

Louise RitaSkeeter wrote: "I need a character I can like. I despite Athos, and even D'Artagnan has turned into an arse."

That was my problem with Musketeers too! I read it about five years ago now, so I can't remember exactly what happened when but I utterly loathed Athos, thought D'Artagnan was awful, and was rooting for Milady to deal out some sweet sweet punishment on both of them.

Sympathetic protagonists don't seem to be Dumas' strongpoint though... which is probably why I much prefer The Count of Monte Cristo. Everybody's absolutely awful (or at least morally grey) but they're not meant to be wonderful glorified heroes in the same way the Musketeers are so it works. In Musketeers I just wanted somebody to stab Athos for most of the book.


message 7: by Mochajunkie (new)

Mochajunkie What I wanted to discuss: Do I need to put in a spoiler alert? Or is accepted that if you are in this discussion page, there will be spoilers?

I'll try to be general: I read a passage and thought nothing more of it. When reviewing the chapter synopsis, it said that sex had been had. I completely missed that. So I went back and reread the passage. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I don't see evidence of even a kiss. Am I missing something?


message 8: by Louise (new)

Louise A lot of older translations cut out the raunchy parts, I think. Maybe you have one of those?


message 9: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter Louise wrote: "RitaSkeeter wrote: "I need a character I can like. I despite Athos, and even D'Artagnan has turned into an arse."

That was my problem with Musketeers too! I read it about five years ago now, so I ..."


I haven't read Dumas before, but I'm with you - team Milady ;)
I think I'm taking the book too seriously; it's clear it is meant to be comic. I have issues though because it is always the poor, the downtrodden, those in service who are the butts of the jokes.


message 10: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter Mochajunkie wrote: "What I wanted to discuss: Do I need to put in a spoiler alert? Or is accepted that if you are in this discussion page, there will be spoilers?

I'll try to be general: I read a passage and thought ..."


I'm reading the Pevear translation which is maybe a decade or so old, so not ancient.

I'm finding the same as you in this translation Mochajunkie - this sex scenes are alluded to. I know the scene you're referring to and there was nothing definite said that I recall - just enough said for us to get the gist.


message 11: by Mochajunkie (new)

Mochajunkie I'm trying to find out what translation I have and what others are out there.

I came across this blog post:
There is one moment in Dumas’s novel, though, which generally fails to make it into modern adaptations, where d’Artagnan suddenly comes across as very dark indeed. D’Artagnan has befriended Milady’s maid, Ketty, and inveigled his way into her room, from where he can eavesdrop on Milady through the thin partition wall. After learning Milady’s plans, d’Artagnan declines to leave Ketty’s room. Here it is in the original French:


– Silence ! silence ! sortez, dit Ketty ; il n’y a qu’une cloison entre ma chambre et celle de Milady, on entend de l’une tout ce qui se dit dans l’autre !

– C’est justement pour cela que je ne sortirai pas, dit d’Artagnan.

– Comment ! fit Ketty en rougissant.

– Ou du moins que je sortirai… plus tard.

Et il attira Ketty à lui ; il n’y avait plus moyen de résister, la résistance fait tant de bruit ! Aussi Ketty céda.
C’était un mouvement de vengeance contre Milady.

(from Chapter 33, ‘Soubrette et maîtresse’)


And here’s a translation of the same passage :

“Silence, silence, begone!” said Kitty. “There is nothing but a wainscot between my chamber and Milady’s; every word that is uttered in one can be heard in the other.”

“That’s exactly the reason I won’t go,” said D’Artagnan.

“What!” said Kitty, blushing.

“Or, at least, I will go… later.”

He drew Kitty to him. There was no way to resist, resistance would make so much noise. Therefore Kitty surrendered.

It was a movement of vengeance upon Milady.

-from http://bookshelf.mml.ox.ac.uk/2014/03...


message 12: by Mochajunkie (new)

Mochajunkie I relistened to this section.

It has
-“Silence, silence, begone!” said Kitty. “There is nothing but a wainscot between my chamber and Milady’s; every word that is uttered in one can be heard in the other.”
-D'artagnan refuses to leave... until Kitty tells him what happened to Mme Bonacuieux.
-Then skips the next 8 and half sentences of the Gutenberg Project text.

I won't go on about this, but was just really annoyed that such a plot point was skipped here and again two chapters later.

Now I'm wondering what else I'm missing.


message 13: by Myst (new)

Myst | 58 comments I'm not there yet, but I'm using the amazon freebie version so when I get there I'll see if it's censored or not.


message 14: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter Mochajunkie wrote: "I relistened to this section.

It has
-“Silence, silence, begone!” said Kitty. “There is nothing but a wainscot between my chamber and Milady’s; every word that is uttered in one can be heard in t..."


This scene is in my translation - p367

"Silence! Silence! Leave now!" Said Kitty. "There's only one partition between my room and Milady's; in the one you hear everything that's said in the other."
"That's just why I won't leave," said d'Artagnan.
"What?" Said Kitty, blushing.
"Or at least I'll leave ...later."
And he drew Kitty to him. There was no way to resist; resistance makes so much noise! And so Kitty yielded.
This was an impulse of vengeance on Milady. Etc etc etc.


message 15: by RitaSkeeter (new)

RitaSkeeter This scene was one of the ones that made me dislike D'Artganan. Aside from the assault, there was no concern or care what would happen to Kitty once he was finished using her to play his games with Milady.


message 16: by Myst (new)

Myst | 58 comments I have a slightly different version. Everything's the same until:

"She had the less motive to resist, resistance would make so much more noise. Therefore Kitty surrendered.

It was a movement of vengeance upon Milady."

No wonder I'm having difficulty following along at thmes when the text has the wrong words and bad phrasing.

I doubt I'd look up a better copy since the characters are just lazy drunken men who never seem to go to work.


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