# Jack Vansittart — The Venetians character guide

> Jack Vansittart in The Venetians by M. E. Braddon.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Jack, the better - born Jack Vansittart, Vansittart, Happily Vansittart, Dear Jack, Master Jack

**First appearance:** 0000-i-in-the-city-by-the-sea

## Snapshot

An impatient, chivalrous heir who marries for love against his family's worldly advice, then finds his one concealed secret from Venice threatening everything he has built.

## Who they are

Jack Vansittart is master of a handsome estate and three or four thousand a year, answerable to no one but his devoted, county-proud mother. He proposes to Eve Marchant within days of meeting her, dismissing the corvée of her disreputable father and four sisters as quartz to be dug through for gold. Yet he keeps one secret from his mother — a night in Venice — and that buried episode, together with his impulsive generosity toward strangers, will test whether his romantic certainties can survive contact with the truth.

## In the story

### [In the City by the Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/i-in-the-city-by-the-sea)

A wealthy, idle young Englishman enjoying Carnival in Venice. He is amused by Lisa Vivanti and feels a sense of freedom, but also has a dim foreshadowing of future domestic ties.

### [Afterthoughts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/ii-afterthoughts)

Tormented by guilt over the Venetian brawl, he resolves to hide his involvement and protect his family's reputation.

### [III: “Fairies!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/iii-fairies)

Reflects on his guilt over the Venice incident, remembers his past violent outburst, and engages in light conversation at the house party.

### [The Prelude to Some Brighter World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/iv-the-prelude-to-some-brighter-world)

Determined to meet Eve, he maneuvers to secure dances and a private supper with her, showing growing interest and a disregard for village pettiness.

### [Teatime in Arcadia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/v-teatime-in-arcadia)

Deeply infatuated with Eve, he spends days seeking her out and is enchanted by the Marchants' Bohemian household.

### [VI: Why Should He Refrain?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/vi-why-should-he-refrain)

Debates marrying Eve, considering his mother's approval and Eve's background; decides to observe the Marchants without committing.

### [He Would Take His Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/vii-he-would-take-his-time)

Meets Colonel Marchant, observes Eve's reactions, and decides to delay any declaration of love.

### [VIII: A Face in the Crowd](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/viii-a-face-in-the-crowd)

Spends five weeks at Merewood, then moves to London. He is haunted by thoughts of Fiordelisa and Eve, and resolves not to run away from the consequences of his actions in Venice.

### [IX: “Though Love, and Life, and Death Should Come and Go”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/ix-though-love-and-life-and-death-should-come-and-go)

Visits Lisa and la Zia, seeks to make amends for the past, and promises to support them.

### [X: “As Things That Are Not Shall These Things Be”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/x-as-things-that-are-not-shall-these-things-be)

Finds and furnishes a flat for Lisa and her aunt, using the alias 'Smith' to hide his identity. He feels a sense of duty and sacrifice, planning to give up two hundred a year for his conscience.

### [One Thread in Life Worth Spinning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xi-one-thread-in-life-worth-spinning)

Travels to Haslemere with a lighter heart, determined to propose to Eve while keeping his Venetian secret.

### [XII: “One Born to Love You, Sweet”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xii-one-born-to-love-you-sweet)

Proposes to Eve and is accepted; writes to his mother about the engagement; troubled by Eve's wish to visit Italy.

### [XIII: “The Time of Lovers Is Brief”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xiii-the-time-of-lovers-is-brief)

Announces his engagement to Eve, defends his choice against his sister's objections, and spends a blissful Easter week with Eve.

### [XIV: As a Spirit from Dream to Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xiv-as-a-spirit-from-dream-to-dream)

Vansittart is in a period of consummate happiness, enjoying London with Eve, but is also neglecting his protégée Lisa as John Smith.

### [XV: “Love Should Be Absolute Love”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xv-love-should-be-absolute-love)

Torn between his love for Eve and the shocking revelation about her brother; he resolves to protect her and maintain his engagement despite his mother's objections.

### [XVI: To Live Forgotten and Love Forlorn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xvi-to-live-forgotten-and-love-forlorn)

Determined to marry Eve despite the secret, he investigates the truth and plans to provide for Lisa while distancing himself.

### [XVII: “She Was More Fair Than Words Can Say”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xvii-she-was-more-fair-than-words-can-say)

Vansittart is deeply in love with Eve and advises her to keep Sefton's gift to avoid offending him, showing his diplomatic nature.

### [The Shadow Passeth When the Tree Shall Fall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xviii-the-shadow-passeth-when-the-tree-shall-fall)

Devoted husband, tries to reassure Eve about Peggy's illness, but is secretly troubled by the mention of consumption.

### [XIX: “He Said, ‘She Has a Lovely Face’ ”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xix-he-said-she-has-a-lovely-face)

Referenced with contempt by Sefton for marrying Eve despite her background.

### [XX: Peggy’s Chance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xx-peggy-s-chance)

Vansittart is concerned about Eve's grief and tries to persuade her to leave Cannes for the sake of her health and their future child. He is also anxious about the possibility of hereditary disease.

### [From the Evil to Come](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxi-from-the-evil-to-come)

Filled with self-reproach over Eve's illness, fears a curse on their love, and finds solace in their Alpine retreat.

### [So Very Wilful](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxii-so-very-wilful)

Mentioned as the man Lisa loved and who rejected her; Sefton reveals he is married.

### [The Little Rift](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxiii-the-little-rift)

Vansittart is anxious and evasive when Eve questions him about his past with Signora Vivanti. He is also worried about Sefton's influence on Lisa and feels a sense of duty to warn her.

### [XXIV: “Poor Kind Wild Eyes So Dashed with Light Quick Tears”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxiv-poor-kind-wild-eyes-so-dashed-with-light-quick-tears)

Visits Lisa to warn her about Sefton, reveals Sefton's past, and parts with Lisa believing it may be final.

### [XXV: “And Every Gentle Passion Sick to Death”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxv-and-every-gentle-passion-sick-to-death)

Destroys the letter and tries to calm Eve's unfounded suspicions.

### [Closer and Closer Swam the Thundercloud](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxvi-closer-and-closer-swam-the-thundercloud)

Attempts to maintain peace, hides his financial worries and secrets.

### [XXVII: “Thou Mayst Be False and Yet I Know It Not”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxvii-thou-mayst-be-false-and-yet-i-know-it-not)

Receives Eve's letter and realizes the danger of the truth about his past being revealed.

### [XXVIII: In the Blue Chamber](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxviii-in-the-blue-chamber)

Confesses to killing Harold Marchant in Venice, explaining his secret guilt.

### [XXIX: 'Tis Not the Same Now, Never More Can Be](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxix-tis-not-the-same-now-never-more-can-be)

Accepts Eve's decision to part, expresses remorse and bitterness, and plans to travel to South Africa to avoid scandal.

### [XXXIII: “Both Together, He Her God, She His Idol”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/chapters/xxxiii-both-together-he-her-god-she-his-idol)

The wanderer who killed Eve's brother; he is returning from Africa, and Eve longs to see him despite her loyalty to her dead brother.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/characters/jack_vansittart
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- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_venetians_se/characters