The Albertine Attachment

The narrator’s attraction to Albertine grows into dependence as her absences, unexplained plans, and denials turn desire into jealousy and surveillance.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Desired Visitor

Waiting for Albertine Expectation After a reception in Paris, the narrator waits for Albertine to visit. Her delay turns an ordinary appointment into an anxious test of whether she will come. Relief with a cost She finally arrives, and he welcomes her warmly. Her late arrival has already made him dependent on a presence he had scarcely considered earlier that evening.

A First Suspicion

Cottard’s Remark A dance observed Cottard comments on Albertine and Andrée dancing closely. What had seemed an ordinary dance acquires an erotic meaning in the narrator’s imagination. Jealousy begins The remark does not prove anything, but it changes what the narrator can see. Suspicion makes small gestures carry disproportionate emotional force.

Absences and Excuses

The Unavailable Woman Conflicting plans Albertine offers explanations for visits and appointments that seem inconsistent. The narrator alternates between accepting them and interpreting them as concealment. Desire through refusal Her unavailability intensifies his attachment. He begins to understand that love may grow less from beauty than from the fear of being excluded.

A Temporary Reconciliation

Denial and Forgiveness A direct accusation The narrator tells Albertine what he has heard and feared. She denies the charge and offers reassurance rather than independent proof. Calm restored He accepts her answer because he longs for relief. Their caresses briefly turn suspicion into tenderness, showing how the beloved becomes both injury and remedy.

Dependence Deepens

The Watchful Lover Managing access The narrator arranges outings and limits opportunities for Albertine to be alone with others. He seeks to prevent the very uncertainties that have made him love her. No lasting security Temporary calm repeatedly gives way to new suspicion. His attempts to control her time cannot reveal the private life he cannot reach.

The first night of the narrator’s return to Balbec

Early in the second Balbec stay

During the early weeks of the Balbec season

After the narrator confronts Albertine about Andrée

Later in the Balbec season