# VI: The Fruitless Wooing explained — Bellarion the Fortunate > Chapter companion for Bellarion the Fortunate by Rafael Sabatini. ## What happens Bellarion gains fame and favor at the Milanese court after his public recognition, but faces persistent romantic advances from the Countess Beatrice, Facino Cane's wife. Despite her efforts to seduce him, Bellarion remains loyal to Facino. The chapter ends with Facino announcing an imminent campaign against Buonterzo, and Bellarion eagerly prepares to join the war. ## Themes in this chapter ### Loyalty and Betrayal Bellarion's steadfast loyalty to Facino contrasts with the Countess Beatrice's attempts at betrayal through seduction. ### Love and Manipulation The Countess uses feigned love and emotional manipulation to try to win Bellarion, who resists her advances. ### Deception and Identity Bellarion adopts a guise of simplicity to deflect the Countess's advances, while the court misinterprets his relationship with Facino. ## Character check-ins ### Bellarion Now famous at court, Bellarion navigates social intrigues and resists the Countess Beatrice's advances, remaining loyal to Facino. ### Countess of Biandrate The Countess Beatrice persistently woos Bellarion, expressing grievances against Facino and seeking romantic consolation. ### Facino Cane Facino remains unaware of his wife's advances toward Bellarion; he announces the campaign against Buonterzo and prepares to march. ### Filippo Maria Visconti The Duke chooses to be pleasant to Bellarion and jests about the Countess's attentions toward him. ### Gabriello Maria Visconti Gabriello conceives an attachment for Bellarion during this period. ### Antonio della Torre Della Torre, Facino's secret enemy, seeks to conciliate Bellarion. ## Key lines > To have done what Bellarion had done was after all no great matter to the world of the court and would have attracted no attention there. But to have received the public thanks of Milan’s civic head and a gift of five thousand florins in recognition of his services was instantly to become noteworthy. Bellarion's actions alone would have gone unnoticed, but the public praise and a reward of five thousand florins from Milan's leader made him famous overnight. _Highlights how recognition and reward elevate Bellarion's status at court._ > He moved about the court of Milan during those three or four weeks of preparation for the campaign against Buonterzo with the ease of one who had been bred in courts. During the weeks before the campaign, Bellarion navigated court life as if he had been raised there. _Shows Bellarion's adaptability and natural courtly grace._ > I am twenty years younger than is he, she said, which was an exaggeration, the truth being that she was exactly fifteen years her husband’s junior. The Countess claimed to be twenty years younger than Facino, though she was actually fifteen years younger. _Reveals the Countess's tendency to exaggerate her grievances._ > He will be discovering presently that his wife has become by Messer Bellarion’s wizardry his adoptive daughter. The Duke joked that Facino would soon find his wife transformed into his adoptive daughter through Bellarion's influence. _Illustrates the court's lewd gossip about the Countess and Bellarion._ > Buonterzo is moving. He left Parma at dawn yesterday, and is advancing towards Piacenza with an army fully four thousand strong. Facino announces that Buonterzo has left Parma and is marching toward Piacenza with an army of four thousand men. _Sets the stage for the upcoming battle._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bellarion_the_fortunate_se/chapters/vi-the-fruitless-wooing - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bellarion_the_fortunate_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/bellarion_the_fortunate_se/chapters