Alexandre Dumas 
The Vicomte de Bragelonne 

The third installment of the “d’Artagnan Romances”, of which “The Three Musketeers” and “Twenty Years After” constitute the first and second, was first serialized between October 1847 to January 1850. “The Vicomte de Bragelonne” represents the first of the four volume edition of that work. In this portion of the work the four Musketeers are back in action, though in differing capacities and in a politically altered world. Cardinal Mazarin is still plotting evil schemes, while King Louis XIV believes himself to be in love. Unfortunately, Raoul, the son of Athos and the Vicomte of Bragelonne, feels the same for the lovely Louis de la Valliere. D’Artagnan soon encounters a confusing stranger, and in turning to his friends, he discovers Athos’ desire to restore Charles II to the throne, as well as the covert efforts of Aramis and Porthos to find a masked prisoner in the fortified island of Belle-Ile. D’Artagnan must travel with all haste in and out of the countries of Europe to alter the fate of many of those very nations, proving himself yet again worthy of his beloved station and sacred honor. This edition includes a biographical afterword.