Swann had begun, out of politeness, to finger the bronzes, and did not like to stop.

“Come along; you can caress them later; now it is you that are going to be caressed, caressed in the ear; you’ll like that, I think. Here’s the young gentleman who will take charge of that.”

After the pianist had played, Swann felt and showed more interest in him than in any of the other guests, for the following reason: