It was no secret that Jacques Bonacieux had taken an immediate dislike to D'Artagnan. Once he reappeared at his home while being imprisoned with Vadim, Jacques had branded him a criminal worthy of being behind the bars he was sent to. Even his exoneration by the Musketeers didn't change his overall view of D'Artagnan as a troublemaker.
In truth, Jacques had made his mind up about the boy when he found out how he convinced his wife to dress as a prostitute in order to distract the guards at the camp where Gaudet's men were. Once he discovered the boy had actually survived the ordeal, he was ready to kick him out, furious with the brigand, and it was only Constance's passionate urging that such a thing would never happen again that calmed him down. She was actually convinced that his decision was made when she reminded him that he would need to go through the entire process of getting another boarder if he did kick him out, and he didn't want to go through the bother of doing so.
Jacques, unfortunately, seemed to have his distaste for D'Artagnan grow and grow. He somehow managed to blame the boy for the explosion with Vadim; after his business trip he had discussed matters with his neighbors, one of which suffered a minor injury in the blast. Jacques insisted that since it was D'Artagnan's responsibility to stop Vadim on that mission, he should have found a way to prevent the explosion. The boy could do no good, as far as he was concerned. The fact that he wasn't as prompt with his rent payments as he'd like didn't help.
It seemed as if any opportunity to hurt the boy would not be unexploited. Constance found herself in D'Artagnan's room when he was at the Garrison, still recuperating from the Vadim mission. She could not find his things, which amounted to nothing more than some clothes, as far as she could tell.
After she was certain they weren't there, she asked Jacques.
"I threw them all out."
"You did what? Why?"
"It was after I had learned that he was arrested for dueling. Right then I knew that I would never allow a criminal to set foot in this house again."
"But it was a ruse! He wasn't really-"
"And how was I supposed to know that? I have a reputation to uphold, a wife to protect!" (Constance didn't miss the priority order she'd just received from her husband.) "Plus, I assumed he would be spending a longer time in jail- a lifetime, if we were lucky!"
Constance just sighed. She would need to be on the alert- she knew her husband enough to know that he had a vindictive streak for anyone he didn't care for.
As it was, D'Artagnan, cleared by Aramis as well enough to return to the Bonacieux residence, returned at the end of the day. Lucky for him, Jacques was not home.
Constance greeted him warmly, and he gave a weak smile. Even though he had spent it resting and watching the Musketeers train, he was ready to retire to his room.
Constance said, "D'Artagnan, I'm sorry to inform you that my husband discarded all of your belongings shortly after you were arrested. He didn't expect your return, and this was prior to him knowing it was all part of a Musketeer plan. I'm so sorry."
D'Artagnan stopped, then simply gave a little smirk. "It's alright, Madame; perhaps I would have done the same, what with a wife to protect."
Having him be so understanding made it worse, for some reason.
Suddenly, D'Artagnan turned and asked Constance, "Um- Madame, did you say he threw out everything?"
'Yes, I believe so; I could not find anything in your room. Why? What is it?"
D'Artagnan then said, "No, it's- it's nothing," but his face said otherwise.
"Tell me." Constance could see how upset he suddenly was.
"It's just- I had a wooden cross. It was from my father. I usually always wear it; ironically, I deliberately left it here that day I went dueling to get thrown in jail, thinking, what if I lose it or someone takes it while I am in jail?" He gave a mirthless smile.
"Oh, D'Artagnan, I'm so sorry…"
"It's alright, Constance. It isn't your fault. Now if you will excuse me…"
And with that, he retired to his room.
Constance felt furious; her husband would not hurt this good young man again, if she were to help it.
Little did she know that the little incident that awoke her and her husband in the middle of that very night would be used as a weapon against D'Artagnan. It had left the poor boy utterly embarrassed and humiliated, and her heart broke for him.
That next morning, the four men were all huddled around the Garrison table when Jacques Bonacieux walked over. Not an expected sight, it was however very possible that he had been selling his wares close by.
Jacques looked cheerful. "Good morning, gentlemen."
"Good morning," Aramis replied. "May we help you?"
"I was just checking to see if my boarder here was alright. He gave us quite the scare last night."
All eyes looked to D'Artagnan, who suddenly looked as if he was turning pale.
"What do you mean, Monsieur?" Athos asked.
"Well, the boy woke my wife and me up in the middle of the night, screaming out. He was yelling 'forgive me, Athos! I'm sorry, I'll do better, Athos!' over and over again. It was very distressing- to the boy, obviously."
D'Artagnan's eyes opened wide. He looked panicked, and straight down at the table, deliberately avoiding everyone's gaze.
"It was as if he was an eight-year-old child, needing his parents' consoling. Such an overgrown child. His nightmare-"
With this, D'Artagnan jumped up from the table, walking swiftly towards Jacques-
"D'Artagnan D'Artagnan D'ARTAGNAN-" Aramis yelled out-
-only to watch D'Artagnan walk past Monsieur Bonacieux, quickly towards the Garrison stairs, and up them. He took the stairs two at a time.
"My apologies, Monsieur; I thought the boy was going to punch you in the nose," Aramis stated.
"More's the pity," Porthos muttered, not really under his breath.
"And you deemed it necessary to impart this information because-?" Athos asked Jacques.
"Well, I believed it important, if you were to consider this young man for a Musketeer uniform, you may wish to know how he sounded like a scared child, not a man who would be worthy of a pauldron. I mean, what's next, will my wife need to be changing his sheets because he wet the bed?"
Porthos shot up after that.
Athos chose to try to diffuse the situation quickly. "Your concern has been noted. Thank you, and good day, sir."
Once you're dismissed by Athos, you know it. Jacques waved his goodbye and began walking away. He could not resist one more jab as he walked away. "Like a scared baby, he sounded."
The three of them sat there, shaking their heads.
"That man infuriates me," Porthos said.
"It's D'Artagnan that infuriates me," Athos said.
"How so?" Aramis asked.
"He obviously wanted to upset and humiliate D'Artagnan. And what does D'Artagnan do? Instead of standing up to the man, and showing that his opinion means nothing to him, he instead gets all upset, walks off, and as a result that 'person' gloats and is rewarded with seeing that he hurt the boy, which was exactly what he wanted to do. D'Artagnan shouldn't have given him the satisfaction."
"How do you manage to take a scenario where D'Artagnan is the wronged party, and somehow turn it into an inappropriate anger towards D'Artagnan himself? Excuse me, but have you met D'Artagnan? Can't you see how much of an open book that boy is? You can read his emotions on his face from a mile away- I truly believe him incapable of hiding his feelings. You can't fault him for that," Aramis scolded his friend.
"Perhaps- I just hate to see that worthless man, ten of whom isn't worth a single D'Artagnan, get the better of him like that. He should have a thicker skin."
"Shouldn't we see to the boy?" Porthos asked.
Aramis, always the one with the keenest sense of a person's emotional needs, said "Give him a few minutes to himself. Then I'll go up."
"Not that I am a proponent of attributing meanings to dreams, but…why do you think…" Athos began.
"I believe it simply means it's time to have that conversation with him about how proud you are with him about his dispatching Vadim. And since it was your name he screamed out this morning, Athos, it should be you."
Never particularly fond of such heart to hearts, Athos figured it might be worth it to squirm out of the request, at least just once.
"I don't see why this can't be a group conversation."
Aramis sighed. "I am not particularly fond of all three of us ganging up on the boy at this moment, Athos. However, it could be, my brother, but- and I don't say this to be cruel- it wasn't Porthos or I that accused him of being ill-equipped to manage this mission. Once you uttered those words, it was left to Porthos and me to pick up the pieces of his drop in confidence."
"He kept doubting himself. When we were trainin' 'em, 'e kept wondering aloud if he had the proper abilities to succeed, and we told him 'e'd be fine, he'd say 'but Athos said that I'm not equipped with the tools required to pull this off.'" Porthos said.
"That is verbatim what I told him," Athos commented.
"Still think that kid doesn't hang on your every word?" Porthos said.
"Listen, Athos, while Porthos and I have gotten used to your, for lack of a better phrase, word economy, I think that D'Artagnan craves your encouragement. Add to that is the fact that you walked in on us yesterday, glanced at his wounds, then shot him an angry stare, and walked out. He took it as you being angry at him, not Vadim. So you see why it should be you that reinforces how good a job he did with Vadim, hmmm?" Aramis said.
Athos said, shocked, "I was not angry with him! It was Vadim that I wanted to draw and quarter, not…"
"Of course that's true, mon ami, but with D'Artagnan already thinking what he was thinking, suddenly your wordless angry glare was all the boy needed to confirm that your anger was directed at him, and that he failed you, us, everyone."
Athos nodded. "I'll go see to him then. But I would like your presence as well- I tend to put my foot in my mouth sometimes."
"No….!," Porthos mocked.
Then, all three then went to ascend the Garrison stairs.
When they found D'Artagnan in one of the rooms upstairs, he was sitting on a chair, looking lost and a bit bereft.
"D'Artagnan, may we come in?" Aramis asked gently.
The boy looked up and had a look of stricken shame. He appeared as if he was holding back tears, and weak was the last thing he wanted to be seen by these three men.
Athos contained his anger at the boy not having a thicker skin; after all, if D'Artagnan was upset over this, then that fool Bonacieux wins. But then he recalled Aramis' words.
"Yes," D'Artagnan finally managed.
Athos, out of the blue, asked him, 'D'Artagnan, may I ask how you feel you did with the entire Vadim mission?"
Porthos and Aramis shot Athos a questioning look.
D'Artagnan seemed uncomfortable. "You- you know how I did. Please don't make me say it," he implored.
"Still, I'd rather hear you tell me."
D'Artagnan shot Athos an incredulous look. In the short time that he had the opportunity to train with him, D'Artagnan had come to see him as a sometimes tough mentor, but up until now, he had not known him to be a cruel one.
"I- I failed," he finally said. "You were right- he was smarter than I. He played me like a violin, and I was too stupid to see it."
And there it was.
Suddenly, D'Artagnan has a panicked look on his face. Surely Athos had broached the subject because his worst fears were playing out- Athos must be kicking him out due to his failure. If Athos got him to agree with his own assessment of his botching the mission, then of course he wouldn't be able to argue with the Lieutenant's decision to dismiss him.
"Athos- please- may I have another chance? I believe I can learn from my mistakes- if I can please stay on- please Athos-"…He hated how pathetic he must sound to these men, men who he had started to respect so much…
"D'Artagnan, breathe! What are you talking about?" Aramis asked.
D'Artagnan, almost in tears, fought to pull himself together. "I thought- I thought I had to leave the G-Garrison."
"Leave why? Because you felt you failed us?" Aramis asked.
"Yes," D'Artagnan admitted. 'Isn't that why you're asking how I felt I had done?"
"No, you idiot," Porthos bellowed. "You seemed down in the dumps when you should be so proud of how you did, you imbecile!"
D'Artagnan looked confused. Athos offered an explanation.
"D'Artagnan, while you were in the jail with Vadim, we found out more information about him, about his history, that made it more evident that he wasn't about to trust any outsiders, no matter how convincing their performance. Not you, nor Porthos, Aramis, or myself, could have cracked that veneer of suspicion. Nor did he have need of another, what with his cronies at his side. He was a career criminal, cynical, supremely suspicious.
"The problem with us obtaining this information was that you were already inside, and we had no way of alerting you that the mission objective, as a result, had therefore changed from intelligence gathering, to simple damage control. That meant simply stopping Vadim from accomplishing whatever it was he was planning, in any manner possible. And D'Artagnan, you did that; very impeccably, I might add. The manner in which you were able to kill Vadim- keeping your head while finding a sword, and besting him, all immediately after having been tortured and thinking you were going to die, shows both physical and mental strength."
"You did great, boy, is what Athos is sayin'," Porthos underlining Athos' comments.
D'Artagnan waited to absorb their words.
"So- I can stay?" he asked.
Aramis laughed. "Oh, for God's- yes, you can stay!", he exclaimed.
Athos added, "And I apologize for claiming out of hand that you were unequipped to manage Vadim. Treville filled us in on the details of your mission. You showed real initiative, bravery and cunning. You should be proud of your performance, as I am."
D'Artagnan found himself smiling at that. "Thank you."
Porthos, ever the emotional teddy-bear of the group, grabbed the boy in a huge hug. Aramis followed with one of his own.
Athos, who still had a reputation to uphold, merely said "Let's get back to training."
They all began to head downstairs. And just like that, they managed to not mention that buffoon Bonaciex by name, but the embarrassment caused by the incident was ameliorated somewhat.