“What! I thought I was to take you home,” cried Swann, flinging discretion to the winds, for the carriage-door hung open, time was precious, and he could not, in his present state, go home without her.

“But Mme. Verdurin has asked me⁠ ⁠…”

“That’s all right, you can quite well go home alone; we’ve left you like this dozens of times,” said Mme. Verdurin.

“But I had something important to tell Mme. de Crécy.”

“Very well, you can write it to her instead.”

“Goodbye,” said Odette, holding out her hand.

He tried hard to smile, but could only succeed in looking utterly dejected.