# I: A Man of Fashion explained — The Perfume of Eros > Chapter companion for The Perfume of Eros by Edgar Saltus. ## What happens The chapter introduces Royal Loftus, a wealthy, handsome man of fashion, and his social circle in Gilded Age New York. At a dinner party, Loftus's mother questions his interest in Fanny Price, but he is preoccupied with Marie Durand, a woman from another sphere. The dinner features witty banter, a séance prediction by Melanchthon Orr, and flirtations between Annandale and Sylvia Waldron, and Loftus and Fanny Price. The chapter establishes themes of social class, marriage, and deception. ## Themes in this chapter ### Social Class and Marriage The dinner party and Loftus's mother's concern about Fanny Price highlight the importance of social standing and marriage in high society. ### Love and Deception Loftus's hidden interest in Marie Durand while flirting with Fanny Price suggests deception in romantic pursuits. ### Appearance vs. Reality The polished social facade contrasts with underlying tensions, such as Annandale's drinking and Orr's cynical beliefs. ## Character check-ins ### Royal Loftus The protagonist, a wealthy, handsome man of fashion, contemplating his romantic interests and social standing. ### Fanny Price A beautiful, tantalizing young woman who flirts with Loftus and is the subject of his mother's concern. ### Arthur Annandale A big, blond man with a cavalry mustache, engaged to Sylvia Waldron, but drinking heavily at dinner. ### Sylvia Waldron Annandale's fiancée, a tall, willowy young woman who tries to curb his drinking. ### Melanchthon Orr A lawyer and cousin of Sylvia, who shares a séance prediction about the guests' futures. ### Mrs. Loftus Royal's mother, a proud, arrogant woman who questions her son's intentions regarding Fanny Price. ## Key lines > Cannibalistically Loftus looked the delicious apparition up and down. He could have eaten it. Loftus gazed at Fanny Price with intense, almost predatory desire, as if he wanted to consume her. _Highlights Loftus's objectifying view of Fanny and his superficial attraction._ > I believe in a great many things. I have precisely three hundred and sixty-five beliefs—one for every day in the year. Orr claims to have a belief for each day of the year, suggesting he is open to various ideas, but also implying a lack of deep conviction. _Shows Orr's witty, cynical nature and his role as a commentator on the social scene._ > You take very kindly to snubbing, don’t you? Fanny Price teases Loftus about his apparent enjoyment of being rejected, referring to his failed attempt to pick up a woman on the street. _Reveals Fanny's boldness and the playful, yet cutting, dynamic between her and Loftus._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_perfume_of_eros_se/chapters/i-a-man-of-fashion - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_perfume_of_eros_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_perfume_of_eros_se/chapters