Hello Friends! Welcome to my newest story based on S2E10, Trial & Punishment. After speaking with other fans of the Musketeers, I have found many who were disappointed with the ending of season 2 who felt Aramis was "runnning away" or "abandoning his friends." The ending was too "unemotional" and the others let Aramis go "too easily." I wasn't happy with their explanation of Aramis leaving either so I added a lot of angst and deeper reasons that would drive Aramis to the point of feeling he had no other choice but to put distance between himself and Paris. Consider this an AU/Alternate "addition" to Aramis's leaving.
Notice: I use the French spelling, "le Dauphin," consistently through this story. More in notes below.
Broken Vows are like broken mirrors. They leave those who held to them bleeding and staring at fractured images of themselves.
Richard Paul Evans Promise Me
Aile Lescot
"Our regiment numbers are down due to the assignment with the royal delegation in Orléans," Captain Tréville reported with disgust as he paced in front of the formation of Musketeers. "And now," the captain paused as he glanced up at the sky, "the king wants to go hunting."
The captain paused again as he huffed with disgust and shook his head. "I will need to assign most of you men for this detachment as the king wants to travel to Chantilly and will be staying at the Château de Chantilly."
"Are the queen and le Dauphin to accompany the king on this hunt, Captain?" Athos dubiously asked.
"As a matter of fact, no," the captain replied. "The king has requested two Musketeers be assigned to guard the queen," he hesitated as he knew the news would not be received well.
"Only two, Captain?" Aramis was incredulous. "The king takes most of the regiment and the queen only gets two men?"
"There will also be a detachment of Red Guards in charge of guarding the palace perimeter," the captain added dryly, watching the reactions carefully.
"This doesn't make sense, Captain," Athos challenged. "Why assign only two Musketeers with a detachment of Red Guards? Why not just give the entire assignment to the Guards?"
"Because the king does not fully trust the Red Guards to watch the queen and le Dauphin," the captain replied with a deep sigh. "He wants two of my best Musketeers to join the Guards for his own peace of mind. This assignment comes directly from the king and we do not question him, Athos, we just obey."
"And who are the lucky two who get assigned to the palace with the Red Guards?" Porthos questioned with a frown.
"The queen requested…" Captain Tréville paused as a look of dissension flashed in his eyes. "The queen requested Athos and Aramis specifically," he sighed. "King Louis agreed, so you two will be with the Red Guards watching the immediate palace precincts."
Athos and Aramis exchanged surprised glances, eyes wide and disbelieving. Aramis turned his attention back to the front, staring ahead into the distance as his mind drifted elsewhere. The medic missed the worried glances shared between Athos and the captain. Being quite distracted, Aramis also failed to notice Athos's imperceptible shake of his head as he sighed then closed his eyes in abhorrence of the queen's request.
"Captain, when does the king leave on his hunting trip?" d'Artagnan asked, eager to end the uncomfortable silence that hung over the formation.
"The king wants to leave for Chantilly tomorrow," the captain answered, to the surprise of the men. "I suggest that you men get your belongings ready, you leave at first light. You are dismissed," he said. Captain Tréville turned on his heel, climbed the stairs to his office and slammed the door behind him.
Next Day, Palais du Louvre:
"You Red Guards will be patrolling the perimeter as well as the grounds of the palace," Athos ordered the Guards. "I want teams stationed around all four sides of Jardin des Tuileries and Palais des Tuileries; and teams patrolling the length of the Grande Galerie. For security reasons, the queen will be moved to the Aile Lescot where Aramis and I will patrol that wing and its perimeter. Keep your eyes open for anyone coming onto the grounds; you are to stop everyone to ask their business here. Get to your positions and stay alert," Athos nodded as he turned on his heel to leave.
"We don't take orders from damn Musketeers," a Red Guard sneered.
Athos strode to the guard so quickly it took the man by surprise. "I received these orders directly from Captain Tréville, who answers only to the king," he said. "These are the king's orders, and all plans were approved by him. Now either you carry out your duties or I will report you to the king upon his return."
The Guard stared defiantly at Athos but finally relented. "Damn Musketeers," he spat on the ground as he stormed off toward the gardens.
"This assignment couldn't end soon enough to suit me," Athos grumbled as he strode toward Aile Lescot with Aramis close on his heels.
"As long as the Red Guards stay outside and keep to the grounds," Aramis reasoned, "and we stay inside, we should have no confrontations. "We just got here and I already want to wring their bloody necks," he snorted.
"We have three more days assigned with them so it will do all of us good to get along," Athos sighed at the prospect. "Let's just keep to ourselves—as distant as entirely possible—to keep our sanity and our tempers in check."
"God, this is going to be a long three days," Aramis mumbled as he climbed the stone steps.
Three Days Later, Aile Lescot:
"When exactly did the king say when he would be back?" Aramis asked as he peered out the window next door to the queen's apartments overlooking the courtyard below.
"The king should be back later today; or by tomorrow at the latest," Athos replied.
"Good, I don't know how much longer the queen can stand being restricted to her apartment," Aramis stated absently as he watched a team of Red Guards patrol along the Grande Galerie. The team stopped at the end of the long building, turned around and went back the way they came.
Athos shot the medic an irritated look as he opened his mouth to say something, but then Aramis started recounting yesterday's conversation with the queen.
"The queen said the baby is teething and is cranky; he needs a change of scenery or a distraction from the monotony of her quarters," Aramis said. "The baby would love a stroll through the gardens in the warm sunshine…"
"Enough!" Athos's shout echoed down the stone hallway. "Do you even hear yourself?" he asked as they moved into the nearby room for privacy. "Need I remind you that we are on duty and our job is to protect the wife and son of the king," he explicitly reminded. "The king requested that his family remain inside under careful watch until he returns home."
"I know that, Athos," Aramis snapped. "I was there, remember? I heard the king's orders," he hissed.
"Then you should remember who you work for," Athos countered. "You work for the king; the queen can request what she will but her wishes will be denied."
"How can you be so apathetic in regard to the queen?" Aramis asked sharply. "She has been detained in her own apartment for three days without the freedom to even go outside to take in the fresh air," he growled. "In the meantime, the king is outside doing as he pleases and going where he pleases, while wasting Musketeer manpower for his sport."
"Louis is the King of France," Athos's eyes darted around the vicinity before continuing. "If the king requests his own men to accompany him on a hunting trip, we don't question the king we…"
"… we follow orders," Aramis dutifully finished. "Don't give me that duty and honor speech, Athos. Being king should not give him the right to keep his wife a prisoner in her own home," he snarled. "The queen is treated worse than the common peasant outside these palace gates. At least a peasant has the freedom to go where they please, when they please. The queen hasn't the liberty or free rein to simply take her son for a walk in the garden!"
"Don't you think I know that, Aramis?" Athos retorted. "But we are not here to concern ourselves with her wishes to go for a stroll in the garden; we are bound by our duty to the king to protect his family during his absence."
"Do you hear yourself, Athos?" Aramis closed the space between them. "You're starting to sound more impassive and unemotional every day. Do you even have a heart in there?" Aramis jabbed a finger at Athos's chest.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Athos hissed through clenched teeth.
"Your mind will only acknowledge duty and honor as you follow your orders; in the process you forget the heart and emotion of, not only yourself, but also of the people you serve," Aramis explained. "You forget that the queen is a person not the property of the king. The queen is a woman with a baby in pain…"
"That woman is the wife of the king and her baby is heir to the throne," Athos interrupted. "I haven't forgotten that fact but it seems you have," he pointed his fingers into Aramis's chest. "Their safety comes before their freedom; and the king's wishes always come before the queen's."
Aramis instantly grabbed Athos by the collar of his doublet and shoved him hard against the wall. "That is the woman I love and her baby… he is my son!"
"Le Dauphin is not your son!" With incredible speed, Athos spun himself around to pin Aramis against the wall with an arm secured tightly across the medic's chest and the other across his friend's throat. "I don't know why the king agreed to have you guard the queen, considering the charges Rochefort brought against you, but it seems you learned nothing from your time in prison."
Aramis lashed out, swinging with both arms to free himself from Athos's tight grip and pushed his friend back. He angrily smacked Athos's hands off his body, "I can't just forget that Louis is my son, dammit!"
Athos glared at Aramis as he breathed heavily through his nose, causing his nostrils to flare. "I should have requested a change of assignment," he shook his head. "I should have known you couldn't distance yourself emotionally from the queen."
"She is the mother of my son," Aramis took a step toward Athos as he whispered harshly.
"Louis is not your son," Athos yelled. "He can never be your son! Le Dauphin is King Louis's son and heir to the throne of France—the sooner you accept that as fact the easier it will be for you to do your job as a Musketeer. If you cannot distance yourself from the queen and the baby," he paused, "then you have no business being a Musketeer."
"Perhaps this isn't my place anymore," Aramis seethed.
"The hell it isn't," Athos spat. "You need to get your head on straight, Aramis," he stepped toward the door but stopped. "After everything that you and the queen have been through recently and still you refuse to change," he let out almost a maniacal laugh. "What will it take to get through your stubborn nature that the queen and le Dauphin are not yours to love? How many people have to get hurt before you learn to walk away?"
"When I walk away is none of your business," Aramis spat.
"Yes it is my business!" Athos retorted with fury. "I could have easily gone to my death at the end of a rope because of your affair with the queen. You're so overcome with lust that you're not thinking straight…"
Athos wasn't yet finished when he was caught off-guard by the sudden fist that slammed into his jaw, knocking him backward into the wall. He slumped partially down the wall until he regained his footing then stood to full height, glaring at Aramis.
"I'm sorry, I seemed to have misspoken," Athos huffed with disgust. "I said that you were not thinking straight but the truth is you're not thinking at all." Athos stepped close to Aramis with his jaw clenched and his fists balled at his side. "I will say this only once and you will not hear of it again…"
"I do not care any further of what you have to say," Aramis started to turn away but Athos caught him by the arm and held tight.
"Well, I'm going to say it anyway," Athos determined. "Think before you act; walk away if you're tempted. Aramis, stop giving in to your weakness—it only leads to pain. Next time, you might not have the chance to say you're sorry."
"I don't need your forgiveness," Aramis stared at Athos, his jaw set and his heart determined. The Spaniard was not about to be swayed by words of reason or logic. Not even by Athos.
At last, Athos threw his hands up in disgust. "Does duty and honor not mean anything to you anymore?" he asked, shaking his head. "I'm going downstairs to patrol; I can't be around you right now," he turned on his heel then left the room.
Downstairs:
As Athos slowly walked the long hallway, his eyes habitually scanned vacant rooms as he passed by. His footsteps echoed through the wide arched hallway lined with oil paintings and sculptures. Once he reached the end of the hallway, he stopped in front of the stairs and sighed.
The Musketeer sat down heavily on the hard steps of the curving staircase and cursed under his breath, "dammit." He pinched the bridge of his nose and then scrubbed a hand down his face, wincing at the soreness of his jaw. He let his head hang low as he sighed again.
"What the hell are we doing?" Athos stared at the floor as his mind replayed the terrible argument he had with his brother. "Dammit, Aramis," he growled. He shook his head and then rubbed his temples as the blood pounded against the massaging fingertips.
He knew his words to Aramis had to sting but nothing he said was malicious or false. In fact, everything he said were truths his friend needed to own up to before his situation got out of control. At that last thought, Athos let out an almost deranged laugh. "I think it's already out of control," he replied to himself.
"You can return anytime now, Your Majesty," Athos grumbled about the king's absence. "I can't take much more of this," he sighed as he stood to begin his patrol anew.
Athos glanced out a window to gaze across the long courtyard to the Palais des Tuileries, scanning the area for activity. "What the…" his jaw dropped as he watched a group of men approaching, staying flush with the walls of the Grande Galerie. "Where is everyone?" his eyes darted across the courtyard for any Red Guards in pursuit but there were none to be found.
Athos drew his sword and rushed out the door. He was instantly attacked by two assailants hidden by the door, waiting for the opportunity to lunge at the unsuspecting lieutenant. Out of sheer instinct, the Musketeer blocked the blade of one assailant but nearly stumbled as he swiveled to parry the attack of the second man. Regaining his foothold, Athos positioned himself expertly in front of the pair of swordsmen and stood ready.
The Musketeer teased his opponents with daring and finesse, watching for the first to attack. The first assailant lunged forward, slicing his sword down toward the lieutenant but he raised his sword with an opposition block and deflected the blade with a clash of steel on steel. The dueling blades glimmered in the bright sunlight as the opponents parried and counter-parried in flashy showmanship.
The second assailant stepped forward with his blade but Athos easily blocked the attack with his main gauche. Turning on his heel, the Musketeer slashed his sword across the second man's chest to distract him before plunging his dagger deep into the man's neck. He wheeled around to block another thrusting lunge from the first assailant then kicked the man hard in the side of his knee, stunning him. As the man leaned over at the waist, Athos kicked him to the ground and thrust his sword through the man's belly.
Athos stepped over the dead bodies, panting heavily from the fight. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked with surprise as he saw more men approaching from behind the palace. "Where the hell are the Red Guards?" he yelled in frustration as he ran to head off the assailants.
The running Musketeer turned sideways to avoid a sloppy attack from one swordsman, which then allowed Athos to turn and plunge his blade deep into the man's chest. He kicked the man backward to free his sword in time to block an attack from a burly swordsman who appeared drunk and unstable on his feet. With a swift stroke of his arm, Athos swung his sword and sliced it across the burly man's neck, opening it in a gush of blood.
Athos groaned aloud as he watched a new group of assailants run from behind the palace and across the courtyard. "Thank God," he breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the Red Guards chasing close behind the bandits with swords and pistols drawn.
The Musketeer ran to head off the bandits. He dodged a lunging attack of one bandit giving him time to aim his pistol and drop the man with a shot to the chest. Athos tossed aside the pistol and drew his sword as another bandit surged toward him with his blade projected forward, ready to strike.
Athos blocked the blade and continued fighting against the bandit for an unknown period of time. He was growing weary of the fight when he heard the sound of a pistol firing from somewhere in front of him. Time seemed to stop as he felt a sudden burning in his chest followed by the sensation of him falling. A Red Guard dueling swords with an assailant next to him moved strangely in slow motion as the scenery blurred around him.
The air rushed from his lungs as he hit the ground, sending the sword in his hand skittering across the rocky pebbles of the courtyard. He blinked as he stared at the clouds floating by—big and fluffy puffs of clouds. Gradually, the world went strangely quiet as his vision faded to nothing.
Queen's Apartment:
Aramis stared at the wooden cup filled with water on the table beside him. His mind replayed the angry words thrown during the argument and he seethed with rage. Lashing out, he swung at the cup and sent it flying into the wall. The cup shattered and splintered, sending pieces bouncing off the wall and scattering across the floor. Water splashed everywhere, even spraying the nearby oil paintings.
Next door, the baby started to cry at the noise, causing Aramis to groan out loud. He leaned over at the waist, putting his hands on his knees as support, as he collected his emotions and got his temper under control.
"Dammit," he cursed under his breath as he straightened. He ran a hand over his face then took a deep breath before walking to the queen's room to knock quietly on the door.
The queen opened the door looking frayed and worn out. "Aramis," she uttered wearily. "I'm glad you're here."
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" he looked over her shoulder at the screaming baby in the cradle. "What's wrong with the baby?"
"I think he's running a fever, he won't stop crying because he's teething," she replied with worry. "Please, could you help me?"
The queen stepped to the side as Aramis entered the apartment and shut the door behind him. "Let me see what I can do," he smiled as he picked up the crying baby.
He gently bounced the baby in his arms as he paced in circles around the room. "Do you have any brandy in here?" he asked the queen. "We can use the wine to dull the pain topically," the medic frowned as the baby screamed in his ear. "I can also look in the kitchen downstairs for some clove and Echinacea, which will help ease the pain."
"Yes, I have wine," the queen replied and went to fetch a bottle. The medic took the bottle then sat down with the baby on his lap. Aramis poured a small amount into a cup then dipped the corner of a clean cloth into the wine. He wrapped the wine-soaked cloth over his finger and rubbed it softly around in circles over the baby's gums as he whispered soothingly in Louis's ear until he finally stopped crying.
The queen stood and watched Aramis soothe the baby quietly with a smile that spread across her face. She lovingly gazed at her son being treated so tenderly by the man Louis would never know as his true father. The scene made her heart break from anguish and swell with pride simultaneously.
Soon, the baby's eyes drooped before he finally fell asleep, cradled in Aramis's arms. "I guess we won't need the herbs just yet," he whispered with a smile.
"Lay him down in the cradle," Anne instructed Aramis. "Careful, don't wake him!" she cringed as the baby fussed slightly but then went back to sleep. "This is the first time he's slept in hours," she sighed.
"He should sleep well for a few hours," Aramis pulled the blanket up then tucked it around the baby's chin. "At least you'll have a moment to rest. Why don't you use this time to get some sleep too? I can keep an eye on the baby for a while," he said as he softly stroked Louis's hair.
"Thank you, Aramis," Anne smiled weakly.
Aramis stood to face the queen, gazing at her tired features with concern. He tenderly tucked wayward strands of hair behind her ear and then leaned forward to kiss her softly on the lips. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he pulled back and apologized.
"No, don't be sorry," Anne said as she pulled Aramis closer so she could plant her lips softly on his in a warm kiss. She pressed herself against her lover as they kissed deeper and more passionately until he pulled away.
"I shouldn't…" he began, but the queen broke off his rejection with another deep and passionate kiss. Any hesitation he had over rekindling the infatuation with his forbidden lover was forgotten in the heat of the moment. "God, I want you," he whispered as he kissed her soft skin, down her neck and toward her breasts.
Soon, they were standing in a pile of clothing, their breath coming in heavy pants as their naked bodies pressed against each other. "You are so beautiful," Aramis whispered as he guided the queen to the bed. He ran his lips down the length of her silky skin before he moved on top of her, joining with her and the two moved as one.
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire ringing out in the courtyard made them flinch and stop their lovemaking. "What was that?" the queen gasped as she sat bolt upright.
"Merde!" Aramis cursed as he pulled away from the queen then ran to the window in a panic. In the courtyard he could see a group of Red Guards dueling men he couldn't identify. His eyes scanned the scene below; he gasped as he spotted Athos sparring with one of the assailants. "Madre de Dios… Athos!"
Aramis ran from the bedroom to their pile of clothing and pulled on his smalls and briskly donned his uniform. "Get dressed... quickly!" he ordered the queen as he stumbled around trying to get his boots on. Once he was fully dressed, he helped the queen button her gown and finish dressing.
"Take the baby and hide in your secret room," Aramis said as he ran to the cradle and scooped the baby into his arms.
"But, what's going on out there?" the queen asked as she took Louis in her arms then rushed to the hidden room behind the panels of her bedroom wall.
"Don't ask questions," Aramis instructed. "Stay here until I come for you. Do not, I repeat, do not come out until I say you can." The medic shut the secret door, making certain that it was secure and well concealed, before running into the hallway to join Athos.
Aramis ran down the flights of stairs, skipping two and three at a time. As he rounded the landing to the last set of stairs then froze at the sound of another gunshot. "Oh God," he uttered as he ran down the remaining steps and outside into the courtyard.
He jumped over the two bodies lying on the ground nearest to the building and ran toward the Red Guards still sparring with the unknown assailants. Aramis glanced around, frantically looking for Athos until he spotted a dark heap lying motionless on the ground ahead of him—stopping him in his tracks.
"No, oh no!" Aramis yelled as he sprinted toward the unconscious Musketeer. As the medic laid eyes on Athos, every fiber of his being seemed to freeze. His heart thumped in his chest as he looked down on his bleeding friend. An assailant came at him suddenly with this sword drawn; Aramis quickly drew his pistol and expertly shot the man mid-chest, dropping him instantly. The remaining assailants were either dead or were being taken care of so Aramis turned back to Athos.
"Athos?" Aramis said as he dropped to his knees beside his friend. "God, what have I done?" he gasped. His shaking fingers seemed to involuntarily follow his gaze to the hole in the leather where blood streamed out in a steady flow, dripping down the side of the lieutenant's doublet and onto the dirt below.
"I need to see how bad you've been hit." Aramis blinked back the tears and began unbuttoning the blood-covered doublet. He threw aside the leather to expose a growing stain of red spreading across the front of the white linen shirt.
"Oh no," the medic groaned as he pulled away the shirt so he could see the torn flesh gushing with a steady stream of blood from a hole just above his right breast. He rolled him slightly to look at his back but saw no exit wound. "The ball is still in you, my friend."
Athos's prophetic words from their argument flashed through Aramis's mind and made the medic groan. "How many people have to get hurt before you learn to walk away from her?"
"Athos, you were right all along, but I wouldn't listen. God, why didn't I listen?" he rasped, wiping away a tear. "I couldn't resist the temptation; I should have known better," he whispered to himself. He was stalling, afraid of what he might not find when he pressed his fingers against his friend's neck… but he had to know.
"Brother, I'm sorry for what I've done," he whispered an apology. "Please God, don't let it be too late," the medic pleaded as he reached toward Athos's neck. "Please let him be alive so I can tell him I'm sorry," he pressed his trembling fingers down on the sweaty skin and prayed for a miracle.
A/N:
According to Académie Francaise when referring to the French heir: "le plus souvent avec une majuscule." Dauphin is usually spelled out with a capital letter, though not mandatory but widely preferred.
Common mistake in fanfic: You do not have to capitalize rank or titles UNLESS used with the name or if they are being addressed by that title.
Offices, positions, and job titles such as president, king, emperor, executive director are common nouns and therefore start with a capital letter only when followed by a person's name.
The captain gave the sergeant orders vs Captain Tréville gave Sergeant Smith orders, or "you wanted to see me, Captain?"
The king went golfing vs King Louis went golfing.
The queen went shopping vs Queen Anne went shopping.
The Louvre, or Palais du Louvre actually began as a 12th Century fortress built by King Philip Augustus, along the right bank of the Seine River. Its foundations are viewable in the basement level as the "Medieval Louvre" department at the museum. The fortress was torn down in 1546 by King Francis I in favor of a larger royal residence which was added to by almost every subsequent French monarch.
The Tuileries Palace or Palais des Tuileries was built in 1564. After the accidental death of Henry II, in 1559, his widow Catherine de Medici planned a new palace. She began construction of Tuileries Palace in 1564, using architect Philibert de l'Orme. The name Tuileries derives from the tile kilns—or Tuileries—which had previously occupied the site. The palace was formed by a range of long, narrow buildings. During the reign of Henry IV the building was enlarged to the south, so it joined the long riverside gallery, the Grande Galerie, which ran all the way to the older Louvre Palace in the east.
Catherine de Medici had a second floor apartment which overlooked the beautiful and vast gardens, Jardin des Tuileries that she had modeled after her favorite gardens of her native Florence Italy.
I will return to the Palais des Tuileries in a minute.
The idea of linking the Louvre to the Tuileries Palace materialized soon with construction in 1566 by Charles IX of the Petite Galerie along the Seine. In 1595, the project was revived. The Gallery of the waterfront entered the "Grand Design" by Henry IV. Finished in in 1608, the Grande Galerie is four hundred and fifty meters long and allowed the king direct access from the Tuileries Palace to his Louvre apartments without having to go outside.
Aile Lescot (Lescot Wing) is the oldest portion above ground of the Louvre Palace and was built by architect Pierre Lescot between 1546 and 1551. It sits between the Pavillon du Roi and the Pavillon de l'Horloge (Sully Wing), forming a square of buildings with the inner courtyard called the Cour Carrée (Square Court).
Today the Louvre Museum is among the largest museums in the world with over 400,000 works of art. Over the course of 300+ years, the Louvre was always being added onto. The palace that Louis XIII or even Louis XIV knew, they would not recognize today. With the layout of today's Louvre you will notice in front of the Sully Wing in the Cour Napoléon is the Pyramide; then in the Cour de Carrousel is the Arc de Triomphe. The Richelieu Wing on the North and Denon Wing on the South side of the courts were built in 1852–1857. At the end of these impressive structures is the beautiful Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries).
Now, back to the Palais des Tuileries: If you notice today that between the Tuileries Gardens and the Sully Wing of the Louvre Museum, the Tuileries Palace is nowhere to be found. When I was doing my research for the layout of the palace grounds vs today, I realized something was missing. The Tuileries Palace was burned down and is now GONE!
In May 1871, during the suppression of the Paris Commune, 12 men set fire to the Tuileries Palace using petroleum, liquid tar and turpentine. The fire lasted 48 hours and thoroughly gutted the palace, except for the southernmost part, the Pavillon de Flore, (the gate of honor, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel remains, as well as the foundation). The dome itself was blown up by explosives placed in the central pavilion and detonated by the converging fires. The library and other portions of the Louvre were also set on fire by Communards and entirely destroyed. The ruins stood for 11 years as they tried to decide if they could restore it, but the cost was too great and it was demolished in 1882.
So, because of 12 men, France lost hundreds of years of architectural history and beauty, not to mention all that history and knowledge destroyed in the library fire! Such a sickening, despicable crime and unspeakable shame!
