Then the time came for us to part, and she left me. Albertine came to my room; she had undressed, and was wearing one of the charming crêpe de chine wrappers, or one of the Japanese gowns which I had asked Mme. de Guermantes to describe to me, and for some of which supplementary details had been furnished me by Mme. Swann, in a letter that began:

“After your long eclipse, I felt as I read your letter about my tea-gowns that I was receiving a message from the other world.”

“After your long eclipse, I felt as I read your letter about my tea-gowns that I was receiving a message from the other world.”