HEBE, _to high_ OLYMPUS _borne_, U_ndoomed to death, by age uncurst_, XERES _and_ PORTO, _night and morn_, L_et flow, to appease celestial thirst_: E_v’n so, untouched by years that envious pass_ YOUTH _greets the guests to-night and fills the glass_. HESIONE, _for monstrous feast_, A_gainst a rock was chained, to die_; Y_oung_ HERCLES _came, he slew the beast_, N_or won the award of chivalry_: E. S. P. H., _whom monsters hold in awe_, S_hield thee from injury, and enforce the law_! C. K. S. M. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS Part I Chapter One page 1 _Names of People: The Duchess de Guermantes—Saint-Loup at Doncières—Mme. de Villeparisis at home—My grandmother’s illness._ Part II Chapter One (continued) page 1 _My grandmother’s illness (continued)—Bergotte’s illness—The Duke and the Doctor—Decline and death of my grandmother._ Chapter Two page 49 _A visit from Albertine—Prospect of rich brides for certain friends of Saint-Loup—The visit of the Guermantes, as displayed before the Princess de Parme—A strange visit to M. de Charlus—His character puzzles me more and more—The red shoes of the Duchess._ ----------------------- _The French text of_ Le Côté de Guermantes _being extremely inaccurate, every care has been taken to correct it in the process of translation. In three places in this volume the sequence of paragraphs has been altered, as the reader may discover by comparing the French and English texts._ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PART I ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE GUERMANTES WAY _CHAPTER ONE_