SWANN père. Stockbroker; close friend of M’s grandfather; his behaviour on the death of his wife (“often, but a little at a time”); his familiar gesture when faced with a perplexing problem: I 17–19. Recalled by M’s mother apropos of his granddaughter’s marriage: V 894–95, 917–18.
SWANN, Mme. See Odette.
SWANN, Gilberte. See Gilberte.
TAORMINA, Princess of. Hears Morel play at the Verdurins’: V 383.
TELEGRAPH-BOY. Protégé of a colleague of Brichot’s, then of M. de Charlus, who finds him a post in the colonies: V 442–43.
THÉODORE. Choirboy and grocer’s boy at Combray: I 76, 79. He and his sister show visitors the crypt of the church: 84, 146. His encyclopaedic knowledge of local affairs: 93. A scapegrace, but nevertheless helps Françoise to tend Aunt Léonie; the spirit of Saint-André-des-Champs: 212–13. Coachman to a friend of Charlus; his sexual misbehaviour; his sister is Mme Putbus’s maid: V 411. Writes to M to congratulate him on his Figaro article; his surname is Sanilon: 799; VI 91. Gilberte’s revelations about his escapades with the girls; becomes chemist at Méséglise: 5. His liaison with Legrandin: 15.
THEODOSIUS II. East European sovereign on a state visit to Paris: I 580, 588–89. His conversation with Norpois: II 9, 41. Norpois’s comments on his speech at the Elysée: 41–47. Charlus and Vaugoubert discuss his possible inversion: IV 88–89. Return visit to Paris with Queen Eudoxia: V 327–28.
THIRION, M. Second husband of Mme de Villeparisis: III 398–99.
TICHE (Monsieur). See Elstir.
TOUREUIL, Judge. Presumably the senior judge from Caen, elsewhere referred to as Poncin (q.v.): IV 442.
TOURS, Vicomtesse de (née Lamarzelle). At the Princesse d’Epinay’s; remarked by the Duc de Guermantes: III 633–34.
TRANIA. Princesse de. Visits Odette at the time of her liaison with the Duc de Guermantes: VI 92.
TRESMES, Mme Dorothée de. Cousin of the Duc de Guermantes: III 785. Calls on the Duke, with her sister Mme de Plassac, with news of Amanien d’Osmond; her walking-stick: 788–89. She and her sister bring news of Amanien’s death: IV 169.
TROMBERT, Mme. Regular visitor to Odette’s salon: II 109; M’s mother’s joke at her expense: 120; her hats: 245.
USHER (or “barker”) at the Princesse de Guermantes’s. His adventure with the Duc de Châtellerault: IV 46, 49–50.
VALCOURT, Mme Edith de. At the Verdurins’; excluded from Mme de Mortemart’s musical evening: V 359–60.
VALET, M’s father’s. See Victor.
VALET, Uncle Adolphe’s: I 103–4. Charlie Morel’s father; his veneration for Uncle Adolphe’s memory: III 357–59. Described to the Verdurins, at Charlie’s request, as “steward” in M’s family: IV 417–18, 425. Charlie has inherited his conviction of Uncle Adolphe’s grandeur: 621–22.
VALLENÈRES, M. Archivist, occasional secretary to Mme de Villeparisis: III 252, 256–58; helps with the management of her estates: 287–88. A strong Nationalist and anti-Dreyfusard: 294–95, 319, 334–35. The “daughter of the house”: 310. Explains the word “mentality” to M. de Guermantes: 319. His influence over Mme de Villeparisis: 335–36.
VARAMBON, Mme de. Lady-in-waiting to the Princesse de Parme. Her stupidity; insists that M is related to Admiral Jurien de La Graviere: III 681–83. Irritates the Princess: 747, 749–50. Mme de Guermantes’s anecdote about her: VI 93.
VATRY, Colonel the Baron de. Tenant of M’s Uncle Adolphe: IV 621.
VAUDÉMONT, Marquis Maurice de. One of two young noblemen who, with an actress and her lover, form an exclusive group at Balbec: II 352–55. Invites M to dinner: 727. M and Charlus discuss him and his friends in the context of sexual inversion; the actress’s lover an invert: V 411–12; VI 94.
(See Actress from the Odéon; Rich Young Man.)
VAUGOUBERT, Marquis de. Ambassador of France at the court of King Theodosius; praised by Norpois: II 42–44, 47. Has the same tastes as Charlus: IV 57–58. His mediocrity does not prevent him from being one of the best representatives of the French Government abroad: 58–60. Introduces M to his wife at the Princesse de Guermantes’s: 60–61. Manifestations of his vice; conversation with Charlus: 86–89, 100. His excessive politeness: 100, 102–3. Further homosexual exchanges with Charlus: V 51. Forcibly retired from the service: 327–28. Loses his son in the war; his extreme grief: VI 95.
VAUGOUBERT, Mme de. Wife of the above. Her masculine air; her considerable intelligence: IV 61–63. Brings about her husband’s disgrace: V 327–28.
VÉLUDE, Vicomtesse de. Sister of the Comtesse de Montpeyroux (q.v.), nicknamed “Mignonne” on account of her stoutness: III 591–92.
VERDURIN, M. The “little clan”: I 265–68. His subordinate role vis-à-vis his wife: 269. M’s grandfather knew his family: 281. His laugh and his pipe: 290, 303, 372–73. His opinion of Swann and Odette: 321–22, 354–55. His hostility to Swann: 376–77. Organises a Mediterranean cruise for the “faithful”: 532. Despised by Octave, who is a relative of his—“an old fellow in a frock coat”: II 632–33 (cf. IV 365–66). At La Raspelière; his attitude towards the death of one of the “faithful”: IV 399–400, 403–7. Uses Sanierte as a whipping-boy: 405–6 (cf. 446, 449 et sqq., 511). His irony at Brichot’s expense: 408 (cf. 473–77). His enthusiasm for La Raspelière: 412–13. His ignorance of the hierarchy of social rank: 428 (cf. 462–64). Bullies Sanierte: 451–56, 459, 485, 506–7. His ineptitude with Charlus (“one of us”): 462–64. Pride in his intimacy with Cottard: 486–88. The evening of the concert organised by Charlus; further brutality to Sanierte: V 302–3 (see also 945–46). Abets his wife’s despotic behaviour towards the “faithful”: 304–5. Reaction to Princess Sherbatoff s death: 318–19. Takes Morel aside to warn him against Charlus: 414–15. His name is Gustave: 423 (cf. VI 96). His generosity to the sick and penurious Sanierte: 436–40. His contradictory nature: 439–40. Eulogised in the Goncourt Journal; art critic in his younger days and author of a book on Whistler: VI 97. Praises Morel’s satires: 112. Dies soon after Cottard; mourned by Elstir, who saw him as the man who had had “the truest vision” of his painting: 116–17.
VERDURIN, Mme. “Mistress” of the “little clan”: I 265–69. Reactions to music: 266, 290–91, 299–300. Dislocates her jaw from laughing so much: 266–67. Her new, less dangerous way of showing her hilarity: 289–90. Distressing effect on her of the discovery of Swann’s grand connexions: 307 (cf. 354, 366–69). Attitude to Swann and Odette: 321–22, 354. Gives a dinner-party attended by Swann, Odette, Forcheville, Brichot and others: 355–75. Her hostility to Swann: 376–77; breaks with him: 403–10. Excursions with Odette: 414–19. Her strange behaviour with Odette (Les Filles de marbre): 512–14. Mediterranean cruise with Odette and the “faithful”: 531–35. Her relations with Odette after her marriage to Swann; their rival salons; entertains the idea of “society” as her final objective: II 239–49. Instáis electricity in her new house: 249–50. M “makes a conquest” of her: 251. M unintentionally pursues her in the street: 399. Her latent bourgeois anti-semitism awakened by the Dreyfus Case [this is entirely inconsistent with what follows]: III 341. An extreme Dreyfusard and anti-clerical: 799. Successful development of her salon; the Russian Ballet: IV 193–94 (cf. V 311–15). The little clan an active centre of Dreyfusism: 194–95, 198–99 (cf. 383–86). Rents La Raspelière from the Cambremers: 206–7. Her “Wednesdays”: 344–47. Compels Brichot to break with his laundress: 361–62. Evolution of her salon towards Society; a Temple of Music: 362–66. Her recruits to the little clan—Ski (replacement for Elstir) and Princess Sherbatoff (the ideal member of the “faithful”): 367–79. Ambivalent attitude to the Cambremers; plays down her Dreyfusism: 383–86 (cf. V 312–13). Her attitude to the death of one of the faithful: 399–401, 403–6. Her delight in La Raspelière: 411–13. Physical changes produced in her by years of listening to music: 413–14 (cf. V 304, 331). Hatred of family life; anecdote about M’s greatgrandfather: 418–19. The changes she has made at La Raspelière: 428–30. Impressed by Mme Molé,
on whom she bestows a no-biliary particle: 454–55. Disparages Elstir and eulogises Ski: 458–62. Shows M Elstir’s flowers: 464–65. Disparages Brichot: 472–76 and Saniette: 476–77. Her new technique for showing her amusement: 481–82 (cf. I 289–90). Attempts to annex Charlus to the little clan; suppresses her outraged anti-clericalism: 484–85. Praises Cottard: 492. Her first skirmish with Charlus: 497–99. Her advances to M; disparages the Cambremers and Féterne; vilifies Swann: 499–50. Jeers at Saniette: 507, then coaxes him to return: 511. Her assiduity as a hostess; excursions with her guests; knows the neighbourhood better than the Cambremers: 539–40. Her Monday tea-parties: 542–44. Visited by M and Albertine: 544–48. Charlus becomes for her “the faith-fullest of the faithful;” her tolerance of his relations with Morel: 601–4. Deterioration of her relations with the Cambremers: 664–66. Compels Brichot to forswear his passion for Mme de Cambremer: 669–70. M goes to a musical party organised by Charlus at her new house in the Quai Conti; Brichot describes to him her former salon in the Rue Montalivet: V 260, 265–67. Infuriated by Charlus’s dictatorial attitude, determines to separate him from Morel: 303–11. Social development of her salon; influence of the Dreyfus Case; her genuine love of art; the Russian Ballet: 310–11 (cf. IV 193–94). Her indifference to the death of Princess Sherbatoff: 317–19. Takes rhino-gomerol to counteract the effects of Vinteuil’s music: 320–21. Rudeness of Charlus’s guests to her, apart from the Queen of Naples: 326–30, 353–65. How she listens to the music: 331, 334. Enraged by Charlus’s insolence: 364–71. Persuades Brichot to cooperate in her plan of revenge: 372–76. Her slanderous attack on Charlus convinces Morel: 414–25. Humiliated by the Queen of Naples: 430–33. Supports her husband’s generosity to Sanierte: 436–39. Wanted Albertine to meet her nephew Octave: 832–33. Her salon described in the Goncourt pastiche; Fromentin’s “Madeleine”: VI 98. One of the queens of war-time Paris: 47. Visits Venice during the war: 51. Thoroughly at home with the Faubourg Saint-Germain; no longer dreads “bores;” constant mention of GHQ: 55–57. Overtures to Odette: 59–61. Her telephonings, her receptions: 61–63. Her aversion to Charlus: 107–10. Tries to persuade the faithful not to join up: 115. Her life changed by the war; her croissants and the sinking of the Lusitania: 120–21. Her relations with Brichot; ridicules his articles: 145–51. After the war, and M. Verdurin’s death, marries first the Duc de Duras and then the Prince de Guermantes: 387–88. At her reception; her false teeth and monocle; still as indefatigable as ever: 433. Reaction to Rachel’s recital: 458.
VICTOR. Butler to M’s family (sometimes referred to as valet). Peppers his conversation with the latest witticisms: III 19. His cynical view of politicians: 26. Purloins writing-paper from M’s bedroom: 27 (cf. 437). A Dreyfusard: 402–3. Quarrels with Françoise: V 153. His mispronunciation of pissotière (Charlus’s yellow trousers): 249 (cf. VI 99). Teases Françoise by pretending to read unpleasant news in the newspaper: 630. His familiarity with the nicknames of sovereigns: VI 100. Terrifies Françoise during the war with tales of disasters and atrocities: 84–85, 219–26, 230–31.
VILLEBON, Mme de. A Courvoisier and stickler for social distinctions: III 604–7.
VILLEMANDOIS, Marquis de. Asks to be introduced to M at the Princesse de Guermantes’s reception, having totally forgotten their old feud: VI 101.
VILLEMUR, Mme de. Introduced to the painter Détaille at the Princesse de Guermantes’s: IV 47–48.
VILLEPARISIS, Marquise de, née Mlle de Bouillon, aunt of the Duc and Duchesse de Guermantes. Visited by M’s grandmother, a friend from convent days: I 24–25 (cf. 144). Likened by Odette to an “usherette”: 345. Allusion to her by Norpois: II 50. Allusion by Swann to her liaison with Norpois: 187. At the Grand Hotel, Balbec; her entourage; ridiculed by the barrister and his friends: 348–51. Pointed out to M’s grandmother; “the fiction of a mutual incognito”: 358–61. Their accidental meeting and renewed friendship; her kindness to M and his grandmother: 371–78. Introduces them to the Princesse de Luxembourg: 378–80. Her knowledge of the movements of M’s father: 381 (cf. III 244). Takes M and his grandmother for drives; her aristocratic erudition, “liberal” views, literary anecdotes, acquaintance with the great: 386–87. Introduces her great-nephew Saint-Loup: 424. Introduces her nephew Charlus: 455–56. A Guermantes!—transformed in M’s eyes: 456 (cf. 736–39; V 391–92). Tea with Charlus in her room at the hotel; critical of Mme de Sévigné: 462–66, 467–68 (cf. 375–76). Complains about diabolo: 695–96. Neighbour of M’s family in Paris: III 10, 35. M. de Norpois’s regular visits; he speaks of her in glowing terms to M’s father: 195–96. Her “School of Wit”: 197–98. Her intimacy with Norpois: 244–46, 295–98. Her “at home”: 244–385. Vicissitudes of her social situation; her salon; her Memoirs: 244–61. Her rivalry with the three Parcae: 260–70. Her flower painting: 252, 272, 286–88, 371–72. Her grande dame act with Bloch: 336. Receives Mme Swann: 341. Her relations with her nephew Charlus: 362–64. Alarmed by his interest in M: 384–85. Origin of the Villeparisis name explained by Charlus: 398–99. Gives a reception at which M arrives late; invites him to dinner: 507, 512–13. Influenced by the Guermantes family genie: 603–4, 615–16. Discussed by Oriane; the horrors of her dinner-table; her morals; known as “aunt Madeleine”: 691–94. Oriane ridicules the idea of her marrying Norpois: 725 (cf. 829–29). Praised by the Turkish Ambassadress: 740. Charlus calls on her at an unusual hour: IV 2–5. M talks to her on the little train, to the disgruntlement of Princess Sherbatoff: 604–5. Premature allusion to her death: V 391. Her true social situation: 391–92 (cf. III 244–52; II 456). In Venice with M. de Norpois in old age: 854–60 (cf. 947–50). Had been the ruin of Mme Sazerat’s father: 858–60 (cf. 806). Dies in isolation: VI 102, survived by Norpois: 133–34.
VINTEUIL. Musician, former piano-teacher to M’s grandmother’s sisters; living in retirement at Montjouvain, near Combray: I 32. His prudishness and modesty; his passion for his daughter: 155–57. Pain which she causes him: 206–9. Meets Swann: 209–10. His death; his compositions: 225–26. His daughter’s sacrilegious gesture: 226–30. His sonata played at the Verdurins’: 290–303. The “little phrase” becomes the “national anthem” of Swann’s love for Odette: 308–9, 335–36, 374–75. Swann hears the sonata again at Mme de Saint-Euverte’s, and it reminds him of his lost happiness: 489–500. Odette plays the little phrase to M; M’s reflections on the work, Swann’s comments on it: II 139–46. Vinteuil the pianist: III 54. His extraordinary prestige—“the greatest of contemporary composers”: IV 363–64. M mentions his name to Albertine: 701–2. M plays his sonata; reflections on artistic creation; Vinteuil and Wagner: V 204–9. Effect of his music on Mme Verdurin: 320–21. His septet played at the Verdurins’: 330–46. His work transcribed by his daughter’s friend: 347–53. Albertine plays his music on the pianola: 502–6. “Expressing the inexpressible”: 502–6, 513–14. The little phrase and Albertine: 755–56.