Passingby (onhisleft-handside, andonwhat, althoughraisedsomewayabovethestreet, wasthegroundfloorofthehouse) Odette'sbedroom, whichlookedouttothebackoveranotherlittlestreetrunningparallelwithherown, hehadclimbedastaircasethatwentstraightupbetweendarkpaintedwalls, fromwhichhungOrientaldraperies, stringsofTurkishbeads, andahugeJapaneselantern, suspendedbyasilkencordfromtheceiling (whichlast, however, sothathervisitorsshouldnothavetocomplainofthewantofanyofthelatestcomfortsofWesterncivilisation, waslightedbyagas-jetinside), tothetwodrawing-rooms, , thewallofwhich, chequeredwiththelozengesofawoodentrellissuchasyouseeongardenwalls, onlygilded, waslinedfromendtoendbyalongrectangularboxinwhichbloomed, asthoughinahothouse, arowoflargechrysanthemums, atthattimestilluncommon, , asarule, bythesightoftheseflowers, whichhadthenbeen 'therage' inParisforaboutayear, butithadpleasedhim, onthisoccasion, toseethegloomofthelittlelobbyshotwithraysofpinkandgoldandwhitebythefragrantpetalsoftheseephemeralstars, -gownofpinksilk, , shelteredbyenormouspalmtreesgrowingoutofpotsofChineseporcelain, , "You'renotcomfortablethere; waitaminute, I'llarrangethingsforyou," andwithatitteroflaughter, thecomplacencyofwhichimpliedthatsomelittleinventionofherownwasbeingbroughtintoplay, shehadinstalledbehindhisheadandbeneathhisfeetgreatcushionsofJapanesesilk, whichshepummeledandbuffetedasthoughdeterminedtolavishonhimallherriches, , bringing, oneafteranother, theinnumerablelampswhich (contained, mostly, inporcelainvases) burnedsinglyorinpairsuponthedifferentpiecesoffurnitureasuponsomanyaltars, rekindlinginthetwilight, alreadyalmostnocturnal, ofthiswinterafternoon, theglowofasunsetmorelasting, moreroseate, morehuman—filling, perhaps, withromanticwonderthethoughtsofsomesolitarylover, wanderinginthestreetbelowandbroughttoastandstillbeforethemysteryofthehumanpresencewhichthoselightedwindowsatoncerevealedandscreenedfromsight—shehadkeptaneyesharplyfixedontheservant, , ifheweretoputevenoneofthemwhereitoughtnottobe, thegeneraleffectofherdrawing-roomwouldbedestroyed, andthatherportrait, whichresteduponaslopingeaseldrapedwithplush, , withfeverishimpatience, shefollowedtheman'sclumsymovements, scoldinghimseverelywhenhepassedtooclosetoapairofbeaupots, whichshemadeapointofalwaystidyingherself, incasetheplantsshouldbeknockedover— 'quaint' intheshapeofeachofherChineseornaments, andalsoinherorchids, thecattleyasespecially (thesebeing, withchrysanthemums, herfavouriteflowers), becausetheyhadthesuprememeritofnotlookingintheleastlikeotherflowers, butofbeingmade, apparently, outofscrapsofsilkorsatin."Itlooksjustasthoughithadbeencutoutoftheliningofmycloak," shesaidtoSwann, pointingtoanorchid, withashadeofrespectinhervoiceforso 'smart' aflower, forthisdistinguished, unexpectedsisterwhomnaturehadsuddenlybestoweduponher, sofarremovedfromherinthescaleofexistence, andyetsodelicate, sorefined, , nowtothefiery-tongueddragonspainteduponabowlorstitcheduponafire-screen, nowtoafleshyclusteroforchids, nowtoadromedaryofinlaidsilver-workwithrubyeyes, whichkeptcompany, uponhermantelpiece, withatoadcarvedinjade, shewouldpretendnowtobeshrinkingfromtheferocityofthemonstersorlaughingattheirabsurdity, nowblushingattheindecencyoftheflowers, nowcarriedawaybyanirresistibledesiretorunacrossandkissthetoadanddromedary, callingthem 'darlings.' Andtheseaffectationswereinsharpcontrasttothesincerityofsomeofherattitudes, notablyherdevotiontoOurLadyoftheLaghettowhohadonce, whenOdettewaslivingatNice, curedherofamortalillness, andwhosemedal, ingold, shealwayscarriedonherperson, 'stea, inquired "Lemonorcream?" and, onhisanswering "Cream, please," wenton, smiling, "Acloud!" Andashepronounceditexcellent, "Yousee, Iknowjusthowyoulikeit." ThisteahadindeedseemedtoSwann, justasitseemedtoher, somethingprecious, andloveissofarobligedtofindsomejustificationforitself, someguaranteeofitsdurationinpleasureswhich, onthecontrary, wouldhavenoexistenceapartfromloveandmustceasewithitspassing, thatwhenhelefther, atseveno'clock, togoanddressfortheevening, allthewayhome, sittingboltuprightinhisbrougham, unabletorepressthehappinesswithwhichtheafternoon'sadventurehadfilledhim, hekeptonrepeatingtohimself: "Whatfunitwouldbetohavealittlewomanlikethatinaplacewhereonecouldalwaysbecertainoffinding, whatonenevercanbecertainoffinding, areallygoodcupoftea." AnhourorsolaterhereceivedanotefromOdette, andatoncerecognisedthatfloridhandwriting, inwhichanaffectationofBritishstiffnessimposedanapparentdisciplineuponitsshapelesscharacters, significant, perhaps, tolessintimateeyesthanhis, ofanuntidinessofmind, afragmentaryeducation, -caseatherhouse."Why," shewrote, "didyounotforgetyourheartalso? Ishouldneverhaveletyouhavethatback."
