Ten Years Later

by Alexandre Dumas

The second of a four part series of etexts from Project Gutenberg that make up the third book of Dumas' D'Artagnan Romances. This book covers the next 65 chapters.

Most of this book concerns the courtly decadence surrounding the early reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Bragelonne and his beloved Louise (for whom the next book in the series is named) are minor players in Louis' court. Much of the subject matter involves courtly romantic intrigues surrounding Philip (Louis' brother) and his brand new wife, the sister of King Charles of England. Madame (as she is referred to through most of this book) is quite the coquette and she flirts dangerously with several people including the king himself.

Compared with the action and political intrigue that fill the rest of this series of books, I found this one to be rather dull. I suppose that it's necessary to further the story along but out of all of the D'Artangnan romances that I have read up until this point, this one was the weakest.

Next in the series is Louise de la Valliere, and the last is The Man in the Iron Mask.