The Man In The Iron Mask

The Man in the Iron Mask continues the tale of our four heroes fromThe Three Musketeers, Dumas's wildly popular introduction to the mischievous Musketeers – D'Artagnan, Aramis, Porthos, and Athos. In this dark sequel, we track their lives many years after the prodigious moment when D'Artagnan receives a commission to be a lieutenant in the Musketeers. We find in The Man in the Iron Mask thatthings have changed quite a bit from the seeming happy days of swashbuckling adventures.

The story opens at the famous French prison known as the Bastille. A priest named Aramis – a former Musketeer – is sitting in a cell with a prisoner. It seems that Aramis is at the prison to hear the man's confession. The prisoner, however, doesn't have anything to confess, because his only crime is being theKing of France's twin brother. Aramis happens to be one of the few people in France who knows this secret. Aramis wastes no time in putting together a plan to free this prisoner and swap him for the legitimate king. Once the former prisoner becomes king, Aramis hopes to be rewarded by being appointed adviser to the King, prime minister, or even pope.

Meanwhile, let's get up to speed on the situationwith the real King. We have a colorful cast of characters at court. There's King Louis's mother, Anne of Austria, his younger brother (known as Monsieur, with a capital 'M'), his wife Maria Theresa, and his mistress, a woman named La Valliere. Then there's the Superintendent of Finances, a man by the name of Fouquet, who's throwing a party at Vaux in an attempt to ingratiate himself with theKing. Among those who would like to see Fouquet swimming with the fishes is a man named Colbert, the Minister of Finances. To round off courtly life, we have D'Artagnan, captain of the King's Musketeers.

Aramis convinces Fouquet to order the release of a prisoner named Seldon. Aramis then arrives at the Bastille, the largest and most feared prison in all of France, and tricks Baisemeaux intoreleasing the King's brother (his name is Philippe) instead of Seldon. Having successfully freed Philippe, Aramis then convinces him to become king of France. Philippe accepts.

Aramis then briefs Philippe on all the people close to the King so that Philippe can successfully impersonate his twin brother. In the course of this conversation, we learn that a young man named Raoul is dying of a broken heart.He is in love with a woman who goes by the name of La Valliere. Raoul's courtship was going well until the King took an interest in the woman. Being forced to choose between a king and a mere commoner, La Valliere chose the King. Aramis later reveals his ambition to be pope: Philippe can be king of men's bodies, and Aramis can rule their souls. With the diabolical plan agreed upon, the two headfor the party at Vaux.

Going to a party at Vaux is a big deal. Everyone who is anyone, is there. Flowers adorn the grounds, the servants outnumber the guests, the food is delicious, the wine flows freely, and the night concludes with a fireworks display. Even though Fouquet and his wife personally wait on the King and Queen, his royal majesty is in a deep sulk. It seems that Fouquet has the moneyto throw even more lavish parties than the King, and that is not OK. 

Before the King goes to sleep, he meets with Colbert, Fouquet's arch enemy. Aramis and Philippe spy on the conversation, and learn that Colbert produced damning evidence that implicates Fouquet in stealing thirteen million Francs from the government. Fouquet seems destined for the Bastille, but the King will make his decisiontomorrow.

In the midst of all the partying, the King sneaks off with his mistress and complains that Fouquet is humiliating him. Colbert shows up. La Valliere pleads with the two men to spare Fouquet. Caught up in her love, the King agrees.

As La Valliere leaves, Colbert plants a letter. The King, thinking that the letter dropped out of La Valliere's pocket, assumes that it's a love note for him...