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Earlier, someone made a comparison between Dickens and Dumas as serial writers. I get the impression that Dumas was writing "on the fly", that is, each instalment as it was due; whereas Dickens would write a novel in instalment form. That would explain the rapidly shifting tone and changing characters (much like a television series does nowadays).
Perhaps it is only me, but I had the impression that Milady's breakdown at the end is partly from pure exhaustion--most of her exploits were thoroughly thought through. Her capture and seduction of the supposedly unbreakable lieutenant shows her cunning in this aspect. But then she is caught again---D'Artagnan and company show too early, and she finds all her plans unravelling.
I read this last part as pure panic. She has decided that her exceptional luck has run out, and though she made some feeble attempts, she knew these men were proof against her talents--her brother-in-law, her former husband, D'Artagnan who was very susceptible but still played her (she didn't know exactly how well she had played him)...
(sorry for the unintentional alliteration there)
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