# VII: He Goes Mad in a Garden explained — The Cords of Vanity > Chapter companion for The Cords of Vanity by James Branch Cabell. ## What happens The narrator spends several evenings in a moonlit garden with an actress he calls Signorina Capulet, who refuses to reveal her real name or past. He grows infatuated, idealizing her as pure and unsullied despite her profession. He proposes marriage, but she gently refuses, calling him 'boy' and warning he doesn't know what he's doing. The chapter captures his romantic folly and her worldly wisdom. ## Themes in this chapter ### Romantic Idealism vs. Reality The narrator idealizes the actress as a pure, unsullied woman, while she herself warns him of the impracticality and danger of his romantic proposal. ### Artistic Identity and Escapism The actress uses a stage name and refuses to discuss her past, seeking to forget her profession offstage; the narrator escapes into romantic fantasy in the moonlit garden. ### Vanity and Self-Deception The narrator's vanity is flattered by the idea of protecting a 'brave, wholesome' woman, and he deceives himself about the wisdom of his infatuation. ## Character check-ins ### Unknown Narrator The young narrator, deeply infatuated with the actress, proposes marriage and idealizes her as a pure, unsullied woman. ### Old Capulet The actress is referred to as Signorina Capulet, a stage name she dislikes but accepts for the narrator's use. ### Bettie Hamlyn The narrator writes a letter to Bettie in Colorado, mentioning his changed plans and his visit to the Opera House. ### John Charteris Mentioned as the host of a house-party and as someone the narrator might not travel to Europe with. ### Alicia Wade Listed among the clever women at Charteris's house-party whom the narrator finds objectionable. ### Pauline Ashmeade Listed among the clever women at Charteris's house-party whom the narrator finds objectionable. ## Key lines > And, oh, but it is good to be with you again, Signorina! The narrator joyfully greets the actress in the moonlit garden, expressing his delight at being with her. _Opening line of the chapter, setting the tone of romantic infatuation._ > I don't want to talk about it. We play for a week in Fairhaven, and here, once off the stage, I intend to forget I am an actress. The actress refuses to discuss her past or future, wanting to escape her professional identity during her time offstage. _Reveals her desire for escapism and secrecy about her personal life._ > Oh, boy, boy! dear, dear boy! how foolish of you and—how dear of you! She calls him a foolish but dear boy, gently rejecting his marriage proposal while acknowledging his sincerity. _Key moment of romantic disillusionment; she sees him as naive._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters/vii-he-goes-mad-in-a-garden - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_cords_of_vanity_se/chapters