In Search of Lost Time, Volume VI_ Time Regained - Marcel Proust [239]
BLOCH, M. Salomon, father of the above. Impressed by his son’s acquaintanceship with Saint-Loup: II 447. His stereoscope: 448. M and Saint-Loup dine with him; his preposterous stories; his opinion of Bergotte; his avarice: 474–87. His admiration for Lea: 660. Impressed by Sir Rufus Israels: III 293. Charlus declines to be introduced to him; greets Mme Sazerat: 332. His post-chaise with postilions: IV 682. His Stock Exchange connexions: VI 13. Dies of grief during the war: 347.
BLOCH’S cousin. See Levy, Esther.
BLOCH’S sisters. At Balbec, introduced to M: II 434–35. Their admiration for their brother: 435, and imitation of his jargon: 477–78, 482. Their vulgarity: 459–60. One of them, with her cousin, attracts Albertine’s attention in the Casino at Balbec: IV 272–74, and causes a scandal in the Grand Hotel by her behaviour with an ex-actress: 326–27, 337–38.
BONTEMPS, M. Albertine’s uncle. Chief Secretary to the Minister of Public Works: II 114–16. Dines with the Swanns: 128–30. At an official dinner with M’s father: 277. Supports Albertine but anxious to be rid of her: 703. Considered somewhat “shady”: 703, and a political opportunist: 705. Once a counsellor in Vienna: IV 708. A “lukewarm” Dreyfusard: V 316. His election committee: 594. Chauvinist and militarist during the war, his Dreyfusism forgotten: VI 14. Mme Verdurin’s telephone conversations with him: 61–63.
BONTEMPS, Mme. Albertine’s aunt. Her visits to Odette; her vulgarity and snobbishness: II 109, 114–19, 235–37, 242–50. Albertine’s attitude towards her: 632. M’s desire to meet her at Balbec: 693–94. Albertine conceals her assignation with M from her: 697. Her influence on Albertine: III 487, 503. Her anti-Dreyfusism: 798. Takes a villa at Epreville: IV 244. Calls at the Grand Hotel to take Albertine home: 313. M’s fears about her disreputable friend: 341–42. Strongly in favour of his marrying Albertine: 442. Her lunch party, attended by Bloch, at which M is praised: 685–86. Her influence on Albertine’s taste in music: V 3–4. Raises no objection to Albertine’s living chez M: 7, 54–55. Her pronunciation of “Beam”: 35. Gives Albertine a ring?: 75, 214. Placed on the Index by Charlus: 315–16. Unwittingly reveals to M one of Albertine’s lies: 523–24. Saint-Loup’s mission to persuade her to send Albertine back: 587, 594–95, 608–9, 635–36. Telegraphs M to inform him of Albertine’s death:641–42. Her schemes for Albertine to marry Octave: 830–33. Entertained by Gilberte: 908. One of the queens of war-time Paris: VI 15. Firmly established in the Faubourg Saint-Germain: 55.
BORANGE. Grocer, stationer and bookseller at Combray: I 115–16.
BORODINO, Prince de. Cavalry captain at Doncières: III 90. Allows M to sleep in barracks: 97–98. Saint-Loup’s poor opinion of him: 98. Refuses Saint-Loup leave: 161, then changes his mind at the instance of his hair-dresser: 165. His aloofness from Saint-Loup and his friends; his Imperial background; his social attitudes; differences between the two aristocracies: 167–73. He rides majestically by: 182. Mme de Villeparisis denounces him: 292. His invitations to M: IV 682.
BOUILLON, Cyrus, Comte de. Father of Mme de Villeparisis: II 392. His literary acquaintances: 394–95. Chateaubriand and the moonlight: 410–11. Visited by the Duc de Nemours: 415. (Somewhat confusingly, in The Guermantes Way Mme de Villeparisis’s father is called Florimond de Guise: III 727, cf. III 255.)
BOUILLON, Comtesse de. Mother of Mme de Villeparisis. The Duchesse de Praslin’s armchair: II 416.
BOUILLON, Duc de. Outside the Duc de Guermantes’s library; his timid, humble appearance: III 786–87. Identified as the only genuine surviving member of the princely La Tour d’Auvergne family, Oriane’s uncle and Mme de Villeparisis’s brother: IV 109.
BOULBON, Doctor du. Admirer of Bergotte: I 130–31. His likeness to a Tintoretto portrait: 315. Recommended to M by Bergotte: