Comment on A Cabal of Paris

  1. Deiseach (Guest) on Chapter 4 Mon 31 Dec 2018 06:32PM UTC

    Hmmm - it occurs to me that these are indeed deeper waters than at first glance.

    Suppose Chevreuse intended for the whole mistake with the letter, in order to entrap Aramis into helping her cabal; from what we've seen so far, it seems Aramis does not approve of this particular conspiracy with or about the Spanish, and that his feelings for her aren't enough to get him on her side and get involved. So she knows he's very likely to head to that particular shop expecting a letter because she's set it up that way; she leaves the decoy letter addressed to "R.D.", expects that Aramis will read it, and then expects that he will work out that "R.D." means Descartes, not him.

    This will bring him and his inseparable companions to Descartes, who is primed to play the part of "I had no idea anything fishy was going on, I can't say anything more for the sake of the lady, please help me or else I'm dead". Again, that is hoped to get Aramis/Athos offering him help - whether for her sake, or whether that as gentlemen they can't refuse an appeal for help. This brings them in Descartes' company to Brussels - if the mysterious trackers after Descartes really exist (and if it's a real plot they probably do) then if they catch up with them, that irretriveably entangles Aramis etc. on Chevreuse's side, since now he's been marked as involved on the plot on her side whatever he may say, and he will have no choice but to go on through if he wants to survive.

    If they don't encounter the Inseperables and Descartes, never mind - as Porthos remarks, everything seems to be all planned out very thoroughly for what is supposed to be a surprise visit to a friend asking for help. So it does look like this is all part of a pre-arranged plan, and Plan B comes into effect - get them to deliver the letter back to Chevreuse. Now they know this is political and that Descartes is involved despite all he's said, the idea - I imagine - is that either out of self-preservation (because they have been enticed to help someone on the pro-Spanish side and if this gets out all their protests of innocence will avail nothing) or because they have already agreed to help Descartes means that they - Aramis alone or all of them - are now in on the plot and on her side. If he turns up back in Paris with the letter for her, it's a fait accompli and she can present him with the stark choice: help me out, or try explaining to the Cardinal that you're not involved.

    She/they did not count on Aramis taking this so personally and being so enraged over what is to him personal betrayal and infidelity, or that Athos would be intervening to calm Aramis down and refuse to get involved. Athos is about the only person who could make Aramis do what he says, whether Aramis is angry or cold, and she/they didn't seem to know that or reckon Athos would refuse point-blank to meddle any further.

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    1. Donna_Immaculata on Chapter 4 Mon 31 Dec 2018 06:56PM UTC

      Ooh, this is an excellent point! You thought it out in much more detail than I did.

      If he turns up back in Paris with the letter for her, it's a fait accompli and she can present him with the stark choice: help me out, or try explaining to the Cardinal that you're not involved.

      This sounds like something the wily nymph might do.

      Athos is about the only person who could make Aramis do what he says, whether Aramis is angry or cold, and she/they didn't seem to know that or reckon Athos would refuse point-blank to meddle any further.

      Yes, Athos is truly the voice of reason, and we know he's the only one to whom Aramis is willing to listen. Marie won't be happy when she realises that her influence over Aramis is waning and that he follows the advice and guidance of his dear old friend...

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      1. Deiseach (Guest) on Chapter 4 Mon 31 Dec 2018 07:02PM UTC

        Well, it's all due to being in Porthos' point of view, and when even guileless, open Porthos thinks "this is a bit convenient how everything has been arranged to deal with us once we turn up with Descartes supposedly out of the blue", then it got me thinking that maybe the "misplaced" letter wasn't so misplaced after all.

        Using Porthos is a stroke of genius because you expect Athos to have a gloomy view of women and their machinations, and you expect Aramis to be seeing fifteen different plots around every corner, but if Porthos has his suspicions aroused, then definitely something must really be going on!

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        1. Donna_Immaculata on Chapter 4 Mon 31 Dec 2018 07:23PM UTC

          Very true! Porthos knows that something is up. Though to be fair, he might just be aware that there's always something going on with Aramis, so he assumes by default that there must be a plot somewhere in the Aramisian vicinity.

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