A great thing about Lemony Snicket's attitude

[friendofvfd]

One of the things I've noticed after reading the series that I found interesting is that even though Lemony is still very much in love with Beatrice and obviously, he always will, he does not seem to be angry or bitter in any way towards Bertrand. He doesn't have what I like to call the "Snape attitude", (HP spoilers...........................................) like how in Harry Potter with Snape having a nasty attitude toward Harry and despising James for "stealing" Lily from him. Snicket on the other hand doesn't appear to have those feelings at all. And in fact whenever he writes about the Baudelaire parents he has nothing but nice things to say about both of them, that put them in a positive light. Especially how whenever he talks about Bertrand he paints him as a very loving and caring father for his children. Of course he understands that everyone thought that he (Snicket) was dead, so he knew Beatrice would have to move on, and I'm sure he was thankful that someone like Bertrand would be the one that Beatrice would fall in love with and marry; and that if anyone is good enough for Beatrice, it had to be Bertrand.

And from the clues in TBL and UA, that mention that Lemony, his siblings, Beatrice and Bertrand all grew up together at V.F.D. I'm sure that Lemony and Bertrand were quite friendly with each-other. And since Bertrand was on the "good" side of the schism, then I'm sure Lemony was quite relieved that Bertrand would be the one to marry Beatrice, and love her, and take care of her and give her their three children, and be a good father to them. He probably knew that Bertrand would make a good family man.

So anyway, I just found it interesting that there appears to be no ill will between Bertrand and Lemony and that Lemony is just glad that Bertrand was there for Beatrice. He doesn't appear to have an attitude that Bertrand "stole" Beatrice away from him, and he feels that if Beatrice is happy, then that's good enough for him.

[Dante]

I agree; it's clear that Lemony feels deep, deep sadness about his relationship with Beatrice ending, and indeed has never gotten over it, but he doesn't blame Beatrice or Bertrand. It's just another one of life's many unfortunate events, and isn't really anyone's fault.

[Lady Whatever]

Yup. Beatrice and Lemony's relationship, before her death, always reminded me of this poem by Alexander Pushkin:
I loved you once: perhaps that love has yet
To die down thoroughly within my soul;
But let it not dismay you any longer;
I have no wish to cause you any sorrow.
I loved you wordlessly, without a hope,
By shyness tortured, or by jealousy.
I loved you with such tenderness and candor
And pray G-d grants you to be loved that way again.