The Cords of Vanity · Chapter
II explained
The narrator recalls attending hotel hops at the Green Chalybeate summer resort with Stella and others, dancing to Sousa's 'Washington Post' two-step.
What happens
The narrator recalls attending hotel hops at the Green Chalybeate summer resort with Stella and others, dancing to Sousa's 'Washington Post' two-step. He asks Stella to sit out a dance, influenced by the example of Mr. Lethbury and Miss Van Orden, and they discover a new world on the third piazza.
Themes in this chapter
Vanity and Self-Deception
The narrator and Stella both engage in self-conscious behavior, fearing being seen as 'spooning' or abject before more attractive peers, highlighting vanity and self-deception.
Romantic Idealism vs. Reality
The contrast between the idealized notion of dancing and the reality of anxiety over skirts and social posturing illustrates the theme of romantic idealism versus reality.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator recalls his youthful experiences at the Green Chalybeate, dancing with Stella and observing social dynamics.
- Stella Musgrave
Stella is described as having 'multitudinous corners' and being self-conscious about her appearance, yet she agrees to sit out a dance with the narrator.
- Ned Lethbury
Mr. Lethbury is noted as a handsome man with waxed mustachios and whiskers, whose example prompts the narrator to ask Stella to sit out a dance.
- Amelia Van Orden
Miss Van Orden is described as a person of extraordinary beauty even in girlhood, and the narrator's just relinquished partner.
Key passages
“Stella has since sworn the girls liked it. I suspect in this statement a certain parsimony as to the truth.”
Stella later claimed the girls enjoyed the dances, but the narrator doubts her honesty.
The narrator questions Stella's recollection, suggesting a theme of self-deception.
“I asked Stella to sit out a dance. I did this because I had heard Mr. Lethbury—a handsome man with waxed mustachios and an absolutely piratical amount of whiskers—make the same request of Miss Van Orden, my just relinquished partner, and it was evident that such whiskers could do no wrong.”
The narrator asked Stella to sit out a dance because he saw Mr. Lethbury do the same with Miss Van Orden, assuming that such a man's actions must be correct.
The narrator's decision is influenced by social imitation and admiration of Mr. Lethbury's appearance.