Once Athos and Porthos provided Treville with the information imparted by D'Artagnan and Aramis, Treville set to work quickly. He began by seeing Cardinal Richelieu on the matter. Richelieu, having no knowledge of the incident, allowed it; it seemed the smirk Treville noticed on his face was enough to amuse the man, knowing that his Guard had their way with one of Treville's lowly recruits.
Claude, Philip's immediate superior, informed Treville in no certain terms that not only did he inform Philip of D'Artagnan's exoneration, he told the Captain that his man was instructed to also alert Petr and George, to his knowledge the only two remaining Red Guard who had not been notified.
When Treville informed the senior Red Guard of what had transpired, the Red Guard sighed, and with hardly any reluctance at all allowed Treville full access to Philip. The easy manner in which he did so spoke volumes in terms of his disgust at Philip, who undoubtably was a thorn in this senior Red Guard's side in the past.
Once Philip realized that the jig was up during Treville's interrogation, Philip yelled: "Your Musketeer recruit fights dirty! I demanded satisfaction!
"And I got it," Philip sneered.
"Yes, I'm quite certain that three of you beating one man must have felt extremely satisfying," Treville responded.
Sobering up a bit when thinking about his fate, Philip meekly asked: "What is to become of me?"
"Once it is decided, believe me you will be informed." Then Treville left. He noticed that he was leaving Philip a little less inflated than when he first began speaking to him.
Later that day, Treville summoned D'Artagnan, feeling well enough to be up and about (with Aramis' blessing), and the Inseparables, to his office, to bring them up to speed. D'Artagnan's nausea had passed, and now was simply in mild pain as a result of his injuries.
"Since Petr and George were in essence mislead by Philip, their fate is unfortunately, a bit murkier. But D'Artagnan, an example should be set for Philip. His superior and I spoke, and he is willing to concede a week in jail and a complete expulsion from the Red Guard," Treville explained.
D'Artagnan seemed pensive; he then looked at his three older brothers, as if for advice.
"Is that too harsh?" he asked them.
"For what he did to you? He is getting off easy," Athos replied.
"But I humiliated him; he was just looking to save face."
"By duping two of his cronies inta beatin' ya half to death? I agree with Athos- 'e's getting' off easy," Porthos said.
"Besides," he added, "I taught ya that move, and I almos' teared up when I saw ya use it, I was so proud…"
"He's right, you know- he could not hide his enthusiasm taking credit for it," Aramis said.
"Captain, do I have a say in this at all? What the punishment should be?" D'Artagnan asked Treville.
"I suppose, seeing as you were the victim. But what do you suggest?" the Captain asked.
D'Artagnan hummed to himself for a moment.
'Well, the week in jail seems fine. But instead of expulsion from the Red Guard, I have something else in mind."
A week later, with D'Artagnan now on the mend, he returned to his home at the Bonacieux'. He found the couple sitting for dinner.
Constance immediately fixed her gaze at the beautiful dress that D'Artagnan was carrying. "How lovely! What on earth is it? Who is if for?" she asked.
D'Artagnan shot her a shy smile and said, "It is for you, madame; a thank you for your sitting vigil over me last week."
As Constance jumped up to get a closer look at the gift, Jacques yelled, "And how proper is it do be gifting my wife in this way? This is inappropriate behavior!"
"My apologies, monsieur, I meant no disrespect.
"You see, the man who orchestrated my attack, so I came to learn from one of my fellow Musketeers, has his family in a business that allows him access to such items as dresses like this. I merely suggested that as part of his punishment, his family provide a pretty dress gratis. I did not mean to offend, I swear."
While Jacques seemed to be deciding on how to respond to that, Constance had grabbed the dress and looked it over. Then she grabbed D'Artagnan in to a hug.
"That was very thoughtful of you, D'Artagnan; I love it. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Jacques then got up, touched the arm of the dress, and said derisively, "Inferior quality. It is almost an insult to accept such a shoddy dress as a gift."
Frowning, Constance said, "Well, I love it, and since I cannot recall any recent time where you gifted me with anything so much as flowers, you're one to talk."
"CONSTANCE! You are not to speak to me in this manner! Especially in front of this miscreant! Do you understand?!"
"Monsieur, please- I meant no disrespect, but do not speak to her that way," D'Artagnan said, in just enough of a fearful, threatening tone, that Jacques simply replied: "You just worry about your rent. It is due soon."
As Jacques eft the room, Constance and D'Artagnan shared a warm smile.
"So, how did your gifting Constance with that dress go?" Aramis wanted to know.
"She loved it," D'Artagnan replied, fondly remembering her brilliant smile on being presented the gift. "Jacques, on the other hand, was less enthusiastic." D'Artagnan looked at his brothers. "Was it wrong for me to do so? Gift another man's wife with such a thing?"
"Not at all," Athos was quick to reply. "You did so out of the genuine goodness of your heart. Never question that. In fact, as Constance and I have been friends now for ages, and I've known Jacques for some time now as well, all I can say is that if your gift brought him any degree of discomfort, that is your gift to me."
"Wait. Constance gets a dress, Athos gets the gift of Jacques gettin' all out 'a sorts…Aramis, where's our gift from the boy?" Porthos wanted to know.
"Why do you two deserve a gift?" D'Artagnan asked.
"For takin' care 'a ya after the Red Guard beat ya to a pulp!" Porthos replied.
"I owe you something for that?" D'Artagnan smiled.
Aramis shook his head. "I was unaware of how ungrateful our baby brother was…"
"Our pup is an ingrate!" Porthos yelled.
"I'm neither a pup or an ingrate!" D'Artagnan said.
Athos interjected, "Leave the boy alone. Perhaps on top of a dress for Constance, D'Artagnan should have also procured some baby clothes for the two of you, given how you incessantly tease him like two children."
Aramis, suddenly serious, addressed D'Artagnan.
"D'Artagnan. It was hard enough on us to see what Vadim and his cronies did to you. But for these Red Guard to have exacerbated your condition in this way- well, just seeing you on the mend from all of your abuse is gift enough for Porthos and me."
"Ay! Speak for yourself!" Porthos barked.
The smile Aramis threw his big brother softened Porthos.
"Oh, alright, we'll let ya off easy this time."
Sometime later, D'Artagnan stopped a departing Athos.
"Athos. May I have a word?"
Athos ceased his retreat from the Garrison and turned to his protégé.
"I- just wanted to sincerely apologize again for my irresponsible behavior with the Red Guard the other day. I often run my mouth without thinking. Believe me, I still have the aches and pains from it to remind me of how foolish it was to taunt him the way I did."
"Then I am glad of it; I do regret that it took you to be hurt again to make you realize your error, and that is what upset me the most. You can be your own worst enemy sometimes, D'Artagnan. Being a Musketeer is a dangerous enough occupation; you need not exacerbate the situation by speaking before you think.
"Especially when the odds are not in your favor. If your brothers were beside you when this Philip confronted you, by all means, insult his manhood. Otherwise, mind your tongue."
Athos then turned to leave.
"It really was small, though; as if I was kicking nothing."
His back to the boy, Athos walked off, shook his head and replied, "I have no doubt that once they kicked it, the Red Guard had the same thought about that empty head of yours."
D'Artagnan's face went wide in shock until Athos slowed, turned to his protégé and shot a warm, fond smile at him.
Despite the pain it caused his bruised cheek, D'Artagnan returned the smile.