Page 499 - swanns-way

you not forget your heart also? I should never have let you
have that back,’ and ‘At whatever hour of the day or night
you may need me, just send me a word, and dispose of me
as you please,’ so there was a place in his heart to which he
would never allow his thoughts to trespass too near, forcing
them, if need be, to evade it by a long course of reasoning so
that they should not have to pass within reach of it; the place
in which lingered his memories of happy days.
But his so meticulous prudence was defeated one eve-
ning when he had gone out to a party.
It was at the Marquise de Saint-Euverte’s, on the last, for
that season, of the evenings on which she invited people to
listen to the musicians who would serve, later on, for her
charity concerts. Swann, who had intended to go to each of
the previous evenings in turn, but had never been able to
make up his mind, received, while he was dressing for this
party, a visit from the Baron de Charlus, who came with an
offer to go with him to the Marquise’s, if his company could
be of any use in helping Swann not to feel quite so bored
when he got there, to be a little less unhappy. But Swann had
thanked him with:
‘You can’t conceive how glad I should be of your com-
pany. But the greatest pleasure that you can give me will be
if you will go instead to see Odette. You know what a splen-
did influence you have over her. I don’t suppose she’ll be
going anywhere this evening, unless she goes to see her old
dressmaker, and I’m sure she would be delighted if you went
with her there. In any case, you’ll find her at home before
then. Try to keep her amused, and also to give her a little

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