Short Fiction · Character

Bently

A young, ardent visitor whose curiosity is ignited by a forbidden manuscript that his host warns carries a curse on body and soul.

supporting

First appearance: the malay krise

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Bently is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The British Resident at Shaitanabad, who survives the Raja's treachery during a tiger hunt.

In the storyThe Raja and the TigerOpen this moment free

See Bently in The Raja and the Tiger Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Bently is a guest at the abbey of the learned Hilaire, a young man full of desires and curiosities, exactly the temperament his host warns is most vulnerable to the occult peril lurking in a few sheets of old French parchment. When Hilaire's face darkens and he forbids all questions about the manuscript, crossing himself and speaking of hidden heresies and necromancies, Bently's wildest curiosity is awakened rather than quelled. His inability to think of anything else for the rest of the evening sets him on the path toward the forbidden knowledge the story will unfold.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Bently sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Bently in the malay krise

Character Web

4 connections

A slice of how Bently sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Other

Character groups

Indian characters and rulers
Diverse minor and legendary characters
Minor characters and ghost story references

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

This excerpt marks the story's dramatic climax because it depicts the protagonist's psychological nadir—a phan…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Raja
professional · positive
Bently serves as a subordinate or assistant to Raja, handling administrative or… How this plays out →
Chumbu Singh
professional · positive
Raja
professional · positive
Bently serves as a subordinate or assistant to Raja, handling administrative or… How this plays out →
Raja
professional · positive
Bently serves as a subordinate or assistant to Raja, handling administrative or… How this plays out →

Raja
Bently serves as a subordinate or assistant to Raja, handling administrative or logistical tasks.
Chumbu Singh
Bently relays messages between the British administration and Chumbu Singh's military camp.
Raja
Bently serves as a subordinate or assistant to Raja, handling administrative or logistical tasks.
Raja
Bently serves as a subordinate or assistant to Raja, handling administrative or logistical tasks.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Bently in the malay krise

In the story

Bently appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Raja and the Tiger

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Bently unlock in the free preview.

See Bently in the malay krise

See Bently in The Raja and the Tiger