Porthos's Pursuit of Wealth and Marriage

Chronicles Porthos's material ambitions, his relationship with Mme. Coquenard, and his eventual retirement from the Musketeers.

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The Procurator's Dinner

A Meager Feast Porthos's Disappointment Porthos, hoping to secure funds for his military equipment, accepts an invitation to dine with his supposed cousin, the procurator Coquenard, and his wife. He expects a lavish meal, but instead is served a thin soup, a scrawny fowl, and watered-down wine. The miserly Coquenard clearly resents the expense, and Porthos realizes he must rely on Mme. Coquenard's hidden affection to get what he wants. The Bargain After dinner, Mme. Coquenard confesses her love for Porthos and agrees to help him. She promises to provide money and equipment, but her contributions are meager and often delayed. Porthos, ever the pragmatist, endures her stinginess because he knows she is his best chance for outfitting himself for the campaign. A Calculated Romance Porthos's relationship with Mme. Coquenard is a blend of genuine affection and mercenary calculation. He flatters her, plays the gallant, and tolerates her husband's presence, all while planning to extract as much as possible. This subplot highlights Porthos's character: vain, materialistic, but ultimately good-natured.

The Rejected Horse

A Gift Returned The Duchess's Present Porthos receives a magnificent Spanish genet and an Andalusian mule from a lady of quality, presumably his duchess. However, the jealous husband intercepts the gifts and substitutes them with a broken-down horse and mule. Porthos, furious, sends Mousqueton to return the inferior animals to the procurator's door, a public humiliation for Mme. Coquenard. Reconciliation Mme. Coquenard, mortified, meets Porthos in the cloister of St. Magloire and begs his forgiveness. She promises to make amends, and Porthos, seeing an opportunity, agrees to reconcile. He extracts a promise of more substantial financial support, and they part on terms that suit his ambitions. The Final Arrangement Eventually, Porthos secures enough money and equipment to appear splendidly at the siege. His relationship with Mme. Coquenard continues, but he never fully trusts her generosity. After the campaign, when her husband dies, Porthos marries her and inherits a fortune of eight hundred thousand livres, allowing him to retire from the Musketeers in comfort.

Retirement and Marriage

A Wealthy Life The Inheritance With the death of M. Coquenard, Mme. Coquenard inherits a substantial fortune. Porthos, true to his word, marries her and leaves the Musketeers. He now enjoys the luxurious life he always craved: a gilded carriage, fine clothes, and a devoted servant in Mousqueton, who finally achieves his dream of standing behind a grand carriage. A Contented End Porthos's story ends happily, though his friends note that he has sacrificed adventure for comfort. He remains loyal to d'Artagnan, Athos, and Aramis, but his priorities have shifted. His marriage, though based on material gain, provides him with the stability he never had as a soldier. Legacy Porthos's arc illustrates the theme of ambition and reward. Unlike Athos, who seeks redemption, or Aramis, who seeks spiritual fulfillment, Porthos seeks tangible wealth and status. He achieves it, but at the cost of the camaraderie that defined his youth.

during the preparations for the La Rochelle campaign

just before the departure for La Rochelle

after the siege of La Rochelle, 1629