Page 452 - swanns-way

too, was of a special and contingent order, namely the risk
of Swann’s discovering that she had not told him the truth.
Physically, she was passing through an unfortunate
phase; she was growing stouter, and the expressive, sor-
rowful charm, the surprised, wistful expressions which
she had formerly had, seemed to have vanished with her
first youth, with the result that she became most precious
to Swann at the very moment when he found her distinctly
less good-looking. He would gaze at her for hours on end,
trying to recapture the charm which he had once seen in
her and could not find again. And yet the knowledge that,
within this new and strange chrysalis, it was still Odette
that lurked, still the same volatile temperament, artful
and evasive, was enough to keep Swann seeking, with as
much passion as ever, to captivate her. Then he would look
at photographs of her, taken two years before, and would
remember how exquisite she had been. And that would con-
sole him, a little, for all the sufferings that he voluntarily
endured on her account.
When the Verdurins took her off to Saint-Germain, or
to Chatou, or to Meulan, as often as not, if the weather was
fine, they would propose to remain there for the night, and
not go home until next day. Mme. Verdurin would endeav-
our to set at rest the scruples of the pianist, whose aunt had
remained in Paris: ‘She will be only too glad to be rid of
you for a day. How on earth could she be anxious, when she
knows you’re with us? Anyhow, I’ll take you all under my
wing; she can put the blame on me.’
If this attempt failed, M. Verdurin would set off across

452 Swann’s Way