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Three musketeers again
Unknown adventures of Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d’Artagnan : all for one and one for all !

Nikolay Kharin

652 pages
1993 - Russie
Roman

Intérêt: **

 

 

Ce roman russe datant de 1993 a été traduit en anglais en 2013 et se trouve donc désormais accessible à un public plus large. Il s’inscrit dans la tradition des nombreux romans qui visent à combler le trou béant qui sépare Les trois mousquetaires et Vingt ans après.

Three muketeers again commence en fait immédiatement à la fin du premier roman de Dumas. Une préface de l’auteur russe explique qu’il s’agit d’un manuscrit écrit par Dumas lui-même et laissé chez l’un des ancêtres de Nikolay Kharin pendant le voyage en Russie de l’écrivain français (voir l’article de Gennady Ulman Les aventures des mousquetaires en Europe de l’Est).

Le début du roman voit donc les quatre mousquetaires revenir au siège de La Rochelle qui s’éternise. Pour hâter la reddition de la ville, Richelieu charge d’Artagnan d’une mission périlleuse: entrer dans La Rochelle en se faisant passer pour un protestant français arrivant de Londres, afin d’annoncer aux Rochelais la nouvelle de la mort de Buckingham. De quoi les convaincre qu’aucun secours ne viendra d’Angleterre et qu’il n’y a plus qu’à se rendre. Véridique, la nouvelle ne sera crue par les Rochelais que si elle est apportée par un coreligionnaire.

D’Artagnan s’exécute, entre dans la ville, tombe amoureux de Camille, la nièce de Guiton, le chef de La Rochelle, est reconnu, condamné à mort, sauvé par la demoiselle… Incidemment, le bateau sur lequel le mousquetaire était arrivé dans le port accompagné de Planchet et Grimaud comme escorte, repart sans lui mais avec les deux valets. Suites à diverses péripéties, ces derniers se retrouvent… au Nouveau monde où ils connaîtront maintes aventures en compagnie de pirates. Un récit assez cocasse qui s’insère plus loin dans le roman, quand les deux hommes reviennent en France.

Le siège de La Rochelle enfin terminé, d’Artagnan poursuit ses aventures. Parti sur les traces de Camille, il se trouve mêlé accidentellement aux intrigues des jésuites et d’Aramis. Les péripéties abondent: duel avec Rochefort, nouvelle rencontre avec Kitty, l’ancienne servante de Milady passée au service de la duchesse de Chevreuse, et toujours amoureuse du mousquetaire, tentative d’assassinat… Pongé dans les combats contre les Espagnols dans le sud-est de la France, d’Artagnan y retrouve Planchet et Grimaud revenus de leur odyssée. Toujours à la poursuite de Camille, le mousquetaire se rend dans le Massif central où il trouve la peste mais pas la belle. Le roman se termine avec l’évocation de complots impliquant le duc de Rohan, la duchesse de Chevreuse, les jésuites et Aramis. Le récit demeure inachevé. De fait, le roman a une suite: D’Artagnan à la Bastille.

De très bonne facture, Three musketeers again est une excellente suite au roman de Dumas. Le plus frappant est la fidélité du livre à son modèle. Kharin «colle» à Dumas autant qu’il le peut et avec succès tant pour l’intrigue que pour le style. Le résultat est un gros roman qui se lit avec plaisir. Le revers de la médaille, c’est l’absence de véritable originalité ou invention.

Extrait du chapitre XX Porthos leaves

“Here I come, dear friend. Thank you for waiting, ” Porthos’ mighty bass interrupted his contemplation. “As you have probably guessed, I’ve handed my resignation to Monsieur de Tréville.”

“How did Monsieur de Tréville take this news?”

“I shall not hide it – he tried to talk me out of resigning,” said Porthos, vaingloriously twisting his mustache. “He told me a great deal of pleasant things. But when I was at last able to make clear to him my situation – you know dear D’Artagnan, I am not a master orator…”

“I am ready to concede, Porthos, that you wield the sword and the musket better, than the tongue.”

“I do hope so,” genially replied Porthos, quite assured that D’Artagnan had just complimented him. “Now that I have finally explained everything to Monsieur de Tréville, he acceded to the inevitable and signed the paper. Henceforth I am a free man!”

“Is it you who say this? You, who are prepared to tie yourself with bonds of matrimony, bonds that are at times stronger than the fetters of a galley slave!”

“Well... of course, you are right in some respects, D’Artagnan,” spoke Porthos without much enthusiasm, and a cloud passed over his brow.

“Pray, forgive me if I unwillingly upset you, my friend!” exclaimed D’Artagnan. “Believe me, I spoke so only because I shall miss you dearly.”

“Me too,” spoke Porthos with utter seriousness.

He stopped and looked into D’Artagnan’s eyes.

“Believe me, it was not easy for me to take this step. But she is a kind woman, and, I think, she loves me.”

D’Artagnan sighed.

“That is already very much. I approve of your choice, Porthos.”

Porthos was about to resume his movement, holding D’Artagnan by the shoulder, then halted, then made one more step forward. A struggle of contradictory feelings reflected upon his countenance.

“Something afflicts you, Porthos? You are perplexed?” asked D’Artagnan who read everything on Porthos’ face, as if in an open book.

“True! How did you guess?!” exclaimed the simple-hearted giant, looking at D’Artagnan with admiration. “Athos is positively right to call you a great man, D’Artagnan.”

“I simply know you well, that is all.”

“True. But still, you do not know everything, my friend. And that bothers me. When I was called in to Monsieur de Tréville, you asked me a question...”

“Did I?” asked the cautious Gascon. “Pray, I have quite forgotten about it.”

Porthos started and froze in indecision, as if asking himself, whether or not to reveal his secret to D’Artagnan. Then he tossed his head, casting aside all remaining doubts.

“You see, I shan’t feel myself right until I tell you everything, D’Artagnan…”

“What, then, do you wish to tell me?”

“You asked me — shall I not introduce you and our friends, Athos and Aramis, to the future Madame du Vallon, for that is my real family name. And it was a natural question on your part, dear friend. Without doubt, that would have been appropriate, if…”

“I beg you, dear friend…”

“If,” continued Porthos, making a gesture with his hand to signify his intention to finish what had been started. “If only the future Madame du Vallon… were not the former Madame Coquenard.”

D’Artagnan prudently put on an appearance of failing to grasp what was being spoken of.

“She is not very well-born and, to tell the truth, not a duchess at all. And not even a noblewoman. She is the widow of a prosecutor.”

Seeing that D’Artagnan was silent, Porthos waved his hand resolutely and, indicating the Hôtel d'Aiguillon, which they were passing at that moment, spoke:

“Of course, she is not such a beauty as one who lives there, in the palace, and her pedigree can’t even compare, but she has other things — a kind heart, and...”

“The fortune of the estimable Maitre Coquenard,” thought D’Artagnan, smiling with his sly Gascon grin.

But he did so only in his mind. He would have never allowed his smile to show, understanding that any friendship might fail in the face of ridicule.

“…and she is rich, after all!” Porthos completed his phrase and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he dared to look at D’Artagnan.

“You do not judge me, dear friend?” asked he. “I felt, that I must tell you everything, but, probably, shan’t have the nerve to reveal it to Athos and Aramis.”

D’Artagnan stopped in the midst of the causeway. He embraced Porthos and said:

“You are the luckiest of us all, Porthos. May you be happy, my friend.”

 

 


 

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