D'Artagnan returns to his lodgings sweating and furious, having lost the mysterious man from Meung, who vanished near an abandoned house.
He finds Athos, Porthos, and Aramis gathered there. To celebrate a new business opportunity, d'Artagnan orders a half-dozen bottles of Beaugency wine on credit from his landlord, M. Bonacieux. He then explains the abduction of the landlord's wife and reveals that the kidnapper is the very same adversary from Meung. D'Artagnan firmly believes this crime is directly tied to Cardinal Richelieu's relentless persecution of Queen Anne and a political trap involving the Duke of Buckingham.
Aramis adds a crucial piece of information by recounting an event from the previous evening. While escorting a lady away from a theologian's residence in a deserted neighborhood, a distinguished gentleman accompanied by armed guards mistook Aramis for Buckingham and his female companion for the Queen. The guards ordered them into a carriage without resistance, a deception made possible by Aramis's height, large hat, and massive cloak. D'Artagnan realizes that finding Madame Bonacieux is the definitive key to uncovering the wider conspiracy, noting that the Queen likely uses lower-class confidantes to avoid the Cardinal's watchful eyes.
Suddenly, a terrified M. Bonacieux bursts into the room, begging for protection from four guards arriving to arrest him. Porthos and Aramis prepare to fight, but d'Artagnan restrains them, prioritizing strategic calculation over brute force. Athos immediately defers to d'Artagnan's leadership. When the guards confront them, d'Artagnan loudly proclaims unyielding loyalty to the King and the Cardinal. He pretends Bonacieux is a complete stranger who merely came to demand overdue rent, and he commands the officers to take the landlord away. Whispering to the bewildered mercier to remain completely silent to save the Queen, d'Artagnan pushes him into custody, jokingly declaring that the arrest will buy him time to pay his debts.
To cement the ruse, d'Artagnan shares a friendly toast of the landlordâs wine with the chief officer, Boisrenard, enthusiastically drinking to the King and the Cardinal. Once the guards depart, Porthos expresses deep disgust at their failure to protect a helpless civilian and for socializing with an operative. However, Athos and Aramis highly commend d'Artagnan's brilliant political maneuvering. D'Artagnan then proposes a formal pledge of complete solidarity to secure their partnership against the impending danger. Overcoming Porthosâs lingering confusion, the four companions join hands and passionately swear their legendary motto: "All for one, one for all." D'Artagnan then dismisses his friends, warning them to remain constantly vigilant as they are now officially locked in open opposition against the powerful Cardinal.