Time Regained, p. 944, "But since strength of one kind can change into a strength of another kind, since heat which is stored up can become light and the electricity in a flash of lightning can cause a photograph to be taken, since the dull pain in our heart can hoist above itself like a banner the visible permanence of an image for every new grief, let us accept the physical injury which is done to us for the sake of the spiritual knowledge which grief brings; let us submit to the disintegration of our body, since each new fragment which breaks away from it returns in a luminous and significant form to add itself to our work, to complete it at the price of sufferings of which others more richly endowed have no need, to make our work at least more solid as our life crumbles away beneath the corrosive action of our emotions. Ideas come to us as the successors to griefs, and griefs, at the moment when they change into ideas, lose some part of their power to injure our heart; the transformation itself, even, for an instant, releases suddenly a little joy. But successors only in the order of time, for the primary element, it seems, is the Idea, and the grief is merely the mode in which certain ideas make their first entry into us. But within the tribe of ideas there are various families and some of them from the very first moment are joys." ( )

Lorsque le narrateur assiste à la rencontre entre Charlus et Jupien, il comprend que les deux hommes sont homosexuel. Il s'ensuit alors une longue étude de l'inversion sexuelle, parfois peu évidente à lire. Dans "la prisonnière" il nous narre sa relation avec Albertine qui se poursuivra dans "Albertine disparue" ( )

After having spent 5+ years reading this entire work I was dreading reaching the end. It has been my constant companion through many changes in my life. After such an investment of time and effort the ending was bound to be a let down...but it wasn't. It was brilliant and completely rewarding. ( )