first Monday of April 1625

The first Monday of April 1625 is the day on which the narrative of The Three Musketeers begins, a date that functions as both a precise historical marker and a symbolic threshold. On this day, the young d'Artagnan, a Gascon gentleman of eighteen, rides into the market town of Meung on his ill-favored yellow Bearn pony, carrying a letter of introduction to Monsieur de Treville, captain of the king's Musketeers. The town is in a state of agitation, and the arrival of the young man and his horse immediately draws the attention and mockery of a mysterious stranger, setting off a brawl that will have far-reaching consequences. This single day thus serves as the catalyst for d'Artagnan's entry into the world of the Musketeers, his first encounter with the cardinal's agents, and the beginning of his lifelong enmity with the man who will later be revealed as the Comte de Rochefort.

Historical and Chronological Context

The date is established with unusual precision for a novel of adventure. The narrator states that "On the first Monday of the month of April, 1625, the market town of Meung... appeared to be in as perfect a state of revolution as if the Huguenots had just made a second La Rochelle of it." This specific dating grounds the fictional story in the real political and religious tensions of early seventeenth-century France, a period marked by the ongoing conflict between the crown and the Huguenots, the rivalry between King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu, and the looming threat of war with England. The author's preface further reinforces this historical anchoring by claiming to have discovered the manuscript of the Comte de la Fere, lending a veneer of documentary authenticity to the tale.

The Arrival at Meung

D'Artagnan's entrance into Meung is the central event of this day. He is described as a "Don Quixote of eighteen," a figure of provincial awkwardness and fiery pride. His horse, a twelve-to-fourteen-year-old Bearn pony of a strange yellow color, is the object of general ridicule. The young man, acutely aware of the ridiculous figure he cuts, is already in a state of heightened sensitivity. The narrator notes that from Tarbes to Meung, he had taken every smile as an insult and every look as a provocation, but had managed to restrain himself. At Meung, however, his self-control finally breaks.

The Encounter with the Man of Meung

While alighting at the hostelry of the Jolly Miller, d'Artagnan spies a gentleman of about forty to forty-five years of age, with black and piercing eyes, a pale complexion, and a scar on his temple, who is laughing with two companions at the appearance of the pony. This is the man who will later be known as the Comte de Rochefort, the cardinal's agent. D'Artagnan, feeling insulted, challenges him. The stranger, with an air of insolent calm, refuses to be drawn into a fight, but d'Artagnan attacks him anyway. The stranger's two companions and the host then fall upon d'Artagnan with sticks, shovels, and tongs, breaking his sword and knocking him unconscious. This brawl is the young man's first, humiliating defeat in Paris, and it establishes the stranger as his personal nemesis.

The Theft of the Letter and the First Glimpse of Milady

While d'Artagnan lies unconscious, the stranger has him searched. The host reports that the young man's valise contains only a clean shirt and eleven crowns, but that he had a letter addressed to Monsieur de Treville. The stranger, disturbed by this, steals the letter. Later, as d'Artagnan recovers, he sees the stranger speaking with a beautiful young woman in a carriage, whom he calls "Milady." The woman is given instructions to return to England and to inform the cardinal as soon as the Duke of Buckingham leaves London. This brief scene introduces the novel's two principal antagonists—the man of Meung and Milady—and reveals the political intrigue that will drive the plot. D'Artagnan, though wounded and humiliated, is left with a burning desire for revenge and a haunting memory of the beautiful woman.

Consequences and Significance

The events of this single day have profound consequences for the entire novel. D'Artagnan loses his letter of introduction, which forces him to rely on his own wits and courage to gain entry into M. de Treville's circle. He acquires a mortal enemy in the man of Meung, who will reappear at crucial moments to thwart him. He also catches his first glimpse of Milady, the woman who will become his most dangerous and personal adversary. The day thus serves as a compressed prologue, introducing the novel's central conflicts, its key characters, and its themes of honor, revenge, and the capricious nature of fortune. It is the point of departure for d'Artagnan's journey from a naive provincial youth to a seasoned Musketeer.