In April 1625, the town of Meung erupts into commotion over the arrival of a young man resembling a provincial Don Quixote. Eighteen-year-old d'Artagnan rides a ridiculous, twelve-year-old yellow BĂ©arn pony. Despite his absurd mount and fading wool doublet, his sharp, intelligent Gascon features and a formidable long sword discourage too much overt mockery. D'Artagnan is travelling toward Paris with gifts from his father: fifteen crowns, the pony, parental blessings, and a letter of introduction to M. de TrĂ©ville, the prestigious Captain of the King's Musketeers and a former neighbor. His father's parting advice explicitly commanded him to seek out adventure, endure insults from no one except the King and Cardinal Richelieu, and fight duels constantly to make his fortune. His mother additionally provided a miraculous healing salve for his inevitable wounds. Conditioned to interpret every glance as a provocation, d'Artagnan arrives at the Franc-Meunier inn. There, he spots an elegant, pale gentleman in his forties with dark eyes and a trimmed mustache mockingly describing the yellow pony to an amused audience. Heavily insulted, dâArtagnan aggressively confronts the stranger. The gentleman responds with cold, aristocratic disdain, further infuriating the youth. When dâArtagnan draws his sword, the stranger initially treats the challenge as madness, but is forced to draw his own weapon when d'Artagnan lunges. Suddenly, the innkeeper and two onlookers ambush d'Artagnan with sticks, shovels, and tongs. D'Artagnan fights fiercely against the uneven odds but is soon beaten unconscious, and his sword is shattered. While d'Artagnan is carried away to recover, the innkeeper searches his pockets and informs the stranger that the broke youth carried a letter to M. de TrĂ©ville. Alarmed that the Gascon might be an agent sent by TrĂ©ville to disrupt his secret plans, the mysterious gentleman quickly pays his bill and orders his horse. He wishes to avoid any delay, especially with "Milady" arriving soon. The innkeeper urges a still-dazed d'Artagnan to leave. As the young man stumbles into the courtyard, he spots his antagonist conversing with a beautiful, blonde Englishwoman inside a carriage. D'Artagnan overhears the stranger delivering Cardinal Richelieu's orders for her to return to England and monitor the Duke of Buckingham, handing her a sealed box of instructions. When the lady asks if he will punish the insolent boy, dâArtagnan rushes forward to challenge the stranger again. The gentleman reaches for his sword, but Milady urges him to leave immediately, warning that any delay could ruin their grand design.