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Swann's Way

by Marcel Proust

The first volume of Proust's seven-part novel, In Search of Lost Time, Swann's Way is the auspicious beginning of Proust's most prominent work. A mature, unnamed narrator recalls his experiences while growing up in the home of his aunt and uncle. This novel is notable for its profound psychological insight and the author's reflections on the nature of art and time.

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More works by Marcel Proust

Within a Budding Grove
(1919)

Swann's Way

returning, her services were greatly missed. And so, in the course of
the morning, my mother said to me: "Run upstairs, and see if your aunt
wants anything."

I went into the first of her two rooms, and through the open door of the
other saw my aunt lying on her side, asleep. I could hear her breathing,
in what was almost distinguishable as a snore. I was just going to slip
away when something, probably the sound of my entry, interrupted her
sleep, and made it 'change speed,' as they say of motorcars nowadays,
for the music of her snore broke off for a second and began again on a
lower note; then she awoke, and half turned her face, which I could see
for the first time; a kind of horror was imprinted on it; plainly she
had just escaped from some terrifying dream. She could not see me from
where she was lying, and I stood there not knowing whether I ought to go
forward or to retire; but all at once she seemed to return to a sense
of reality, and to grasp the falsehood of the visions that had terrified
her; a smile of joy, a pious act of thanksgiving to God, Who is pleased

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Swann's Way

by Marcel Proust

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