Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 40

BERTIE THE LAMB, professional dude, with a heart yet softer than his head, in _The Henrietta_, a play of New York life, by Bronson Howard.

Stuart Robson's impersonation of "Bertie" is without a flaw (1887).

BERTOLDE (3 _syl_.), the hero of a little _jeu d'esprit_ in Italian prose by Julio Caesare Croce (2 _syl_.). He is a comedian by profession, whom nothing astonishes. He is as much at his ease with kings and queens as with those of his own rank. Hence the phrase _Imperturbable as Bertolde_, meaning "never taken by surprise," "never thrown off one's guard," "never disconcerted."

BERTOLDO _(Prince)_, a knight of Malta, and brother of Roberto king of the two Sicilies. He was in love with Cami'ola "the maid of honor,"

but could not marry without a dispensation from the pope. While matters were at this crisis, Bertoldo laid siege to Sienna, and was taken prisoner. Camiola paid his ransom, but before he was released the d.u.c.h.ess Aurelia requested him to be brought before her. As soon as the d.u.c.h.ess saw him, she fell in love with him, and offered him marriage, and Bertoldo, forgetful of Camiola, accepted the offer. The betrothed then presented themselves before the king. Here Camiola exposed the conduct of the knight; Roberto was indignant; Aurelia rejected her _fiance_ with scorn; and Camiola took the veil.--Ma.s.singer, _The Maid of Honor_ (1637).

_Bertol'do_, the chief character of a comic romance called _Vita di Bertoldo_, by Julio Cesare Croce, who flourished in the sixteenth century. It recounts the successful exploits of a clever but ugly peasant, and was for two centuries as popular in Italy as _Robinson Crusoe_ is in England. Same as, _Bertolde_ and _Bartoldo_.

BERTOLDO'S SON, Rinaldo.--Ta.s.so, _Jerusalem Delivered_ (1575).

BERTRAM _(Baron)_, one of Charlemagne's paladins.

_Ber'tram_, count of Rousillon. While on a visit to the king of France, Helena, a physician's daughter, cured the king of a. disorder which had baffled the court physicians. For this service the king promised her for husband any one she chose to select, and her choice fell on Bertram. The haughty count married her, it is true, but deserted her at once, and left for Florence, where he joined the duke's army. It so happened that Helena also stopped at Florence while on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Jacques le Grand. In Florence she lodged with a widow whose daughter Diana, was wantonly loved by Bertram. Helena obtained permission to receive his visits in lieu of Diana, and in one of these visits exchanged rings with him. Soon after this the count went on a visit to his mother, where he saw the king, and the king observing on his finger the ring he had given to Helena, had him arrested on the suspicion of murder. Helena now came forward to explain matters, and all was well, for all ended well.--Shakespeare, _All's Well that Ends Well_ (1598).

I cannot reconcile my heart to "Bertram," a man n.o.ble without generosity, and young without truth; who marries Helena as a coward, and leaves her as a profligate. When she is dead by his unkindness he sneaks home to a second marriage, is accused by a woman whom he has wronged, defends himself by falsehood, and is dismissed to happiness.--Dr. Johnson.

_Bertram_ (_Sir Stephen_), an austere merchant, very just but not generous. Fearing lest his son should marry the sister of his clerk (Charles Ratcliffe), he dismissed Ratcliffe from his service, and being then informed that the marriage had already taken place, he disinherited his son. Sheva the Jew a.s.sured him that the lady had 10,000 for her fortune, so he relented. At the last all parties were satisfied.

_Frederick Bertram_, only son of sir Stephen; he marries Miss Ratcliffe clandestinely, and incurs thereby his father's displeasure, but the n.o.ble benevolence of Sheva the Jew brings about a reconciliation and opens sir Bertram's eyes to "see ten thousand merits," a grace for every pound.--c.u.mberland, _The Jew_ (1776).

_Ber'tram_ (_Count_), an outlaw, who becomes the leader of a band of robbers. Being wrecked on the coast of Sicily, he is conveyed to the castle of lady Imogine, and in her he recognizes an old sweetheart to whom in his prosperous days he was greatly attached. Her husband (St.

Aldobrand), who was away at first, returning unexpectedly is murdered by Bertram; Imogine goes mad and dies; and Bertram puts an end to his own life.--C. Maturin, _Bertram_ (1782-1825).

_Bertram_ (_Mr. G.o.dfrey_), the laird of Ellangowan.

_Mrs. Bertram_, his wife.

_Harry Bertram, alias_ captain Vanbeest Brown, _alias_ Dawson, _alias_ Dudley, son of the laird, and heir to Ellangowan. Harry Bertram is in love with Julia Mannering, and the novel concludes with his taking possession of the old house at Ellangowan and marrying Julia.

_Lucy Bertram_, sister of Harry Bertram. She marries Charles Hazlewood, son of sir Robert Hazlewood, of Hazlewood.

_Sir Allen Bertram_, of Ellangowan, an ancestor of Mr. G.o.dfrey Bertram.

_Dennis Bertram, Donohoe Bertram_, and _Lewis Bertram_, ancestors of Mr. G.o.dfrey Bertram.

_Captain Andrew Bertram_, a relative of the family.--Sir W. Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time, George II.).

_Bertram_, the English minstrel, and guide of lady Augusta Berkely; when in disguise she calls herself the minstrel's son.--Sir W. Scott, _Castle Dangerous_ (time, Henry I.).

_Ber'tram_, one of the conspirators against the republic of Venice.

Having "a hesitating softness, fatal to a great enterprise," he betrayed the conspiracy to the senate.--Byron, _Marino Faliero_ (1819).

BERTRA'MO, the fiend-father of Robert le Diable. After alluring his son to gamble away all his property, he meets him near St. Ire'ne, and Hel'ena seduces him to join in "the Dance of Love." When at last Bertramo comes to claim his victim, he is resisted by Alice (the duke's foster-sister), who reads to Robert his mother's will.

Being thus reclaimed, angels celebrate the triumph of good over evil.--Meyerbeer, _Roberto il Diavolo_ (an opera, 1831).

BERTRAND, a simpleton and a villain. He is the accomplice of Robert Macaire, a libertine of unblushing impudence, who sins without compunction.--Daumier, _L'Auberge des Adrets._

BERTRAND DU GUESLIN, a romance of chivalry, reciting the adventures of this connetable de France, in the reign of Charles V.

_Bertrand du Gueslin in prison._ The prince of Wales went to visit his captive Bertrand, and asking him how he fared, the Frenchman replied, "Sir, I have heard the mice and the rats this many a day, but it is long since I heard the song of birds," _i.e._ I have been long a captive and have not breathed the fresh air.

The reply of Bertrand du Gueslin calls to mind that of Douglas, called "The Good sir James," the companion of Robert Bruce, "It is better, I ween, to hear the lark sing than the mouse cheep," _i.e._ It is better to keep the open field than to be shut up in a castle.

BERTULPHE (2 _syl_.), provost of Bruges, the son of a serf. By his genius and energy he became the richest, most honored, and most powerful man in Bruges. His arm was strong in fight, his wisdom swayed the council, his step was proud, and his eye untamed. He had one child, most dearly beloved, the bride of sir Bouchard, a knight of n.o.ble descent. Charles "the Good," earl of Flanders, made a law (1127) that whoever married a serf should become a serf, and that serfs were serfs till manumission. By these absurd decrees Bertulphe the provost, his daughter Constance, and his knightly son-in-law were all serfs.

The result was that the provost slew the earl and then himself, his daughter went mad and died, and Bouchard was slain in fight.--S.

Knowles, _The Provost of Bruges_ (1836).

BER'WINE (2 _syl_.), the favorite attendant of lady Er'mengarde (3 _syl_.) of Baldringham, great-aunt of lady Eveline "the betrothed."--Sir W. Scott, _The Betrothed_ (time, Henry II.).

BER'YL MOL'OZANE (3 _syl_.), the lady-love of George Geith. All beauty, love, and sunshine. She has a heart for every one, is ready to help every one, and is by every one beloved, yet her lot is most painfully unhappy, and ends in an early death.--F.G. Trafford [J.H.

Riddell], _George Geith_.

BESO'NIAN (_A_), a scoundrel. From the Italian, _bisognoso_, "a needy person, a beggar."

Proud lords do tumble from the towers of their high descents; and be trod under feet of every inferior besonian.--Thomas Nash, _Pierce Pennylesse, His Supplication, etc._ (1592).

BESS (_Good queen_), Elizabeth (1533, 1558-1603).

_Bess_, the daughter of the "blind beggar of Bethnal Green," a lady by birth, a sylph for beauty, an angel for constancy and sweetness. She was loved to distraction by Wilford, and it turned out that he was the son of lord Woodville, and Bess the daughter of lord Woodville's brother; so they were cousins. Queen Elizabeth sanctioned their nuptials, and took them under her own especial conduct.--S. Knowles, _The Beggar of Bethnal Green_ (1834).

BESS O' BEDLAM, a female lunatic vagrant, the male lunatic vagrant being called a _Tom o' Bedlam_.

BESSUS, governor of Bactria, who seized Dari'us (after the battle of Arbe'la) and put him to death. Arrian says, Alexander caused the nostrils of the regicide to be slit, and the tips of his ears to be cut off. The offender being then sent to Ecbat'ana, in chains, was put to death.

Lo! Bessus, he that armde with murderer's knyfe And traytrous hart agaynst his royal king, With bluddy hands bereft his master's life.

What booted him his false usurped raygne.

When like a wretche led in an iron chayne, He was presented by his chiefest friende Unto the foes of him whom he had slayne?

T. Sackville, _A Mirrour for Magistraytes_ ("The Complaynt," 1587).

_Bes'sus_ a cowardly bragging captain, a sort of Bobadil or Vincent de la Rosa. Captain Bessus, having received a challenge, wrote word back that he could not accept the honor for thirteen weeks, as he had already 212 duels on hand, but he was much grieved that he could not appoint an earlier day.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _King and No King_ (1619).

Rochester I despise for want of wit.

So often does he aim, so seldom hit ...

Mean in each action, lewd in every limb, Manners themselves are mischievous in him ...

For what a Bessus has he always lived!

Dryden, _Essay upon Satire_.

BETH MARCH, the third and gentlest sister in Louisa M. Alcott's novel "_Little Women_" (1868).

BETSEY, the wife in Will Carleton's farm ballad, _Betsey and I are Out_. In dictating to a lawyer the terms of separation, the farmer reminds himself of the many excellent points of the offending spouse, and how "she and I was happy before we quarrelled so."

And when she dies, I wish that she would be laid by me, And, lyin' together in silence, perhaps we will agree; And, if ever we meet in heaven I wouldn't think it queer If we loved each other better because we quarrelled here.