My Years With Proust - Day 407

   At Saint-Pierre-des-Ilfs we were joined by a glorious girl who, unfortunately, was not a member of the little group.  I could not take my eyes off her magnolia skin, her dark eyes, the bold and admirable composition of her forms.  After a moment she wanted to open a window, for it was hot in the compartment, and not wishing to ask leave of everybody, as I along was without an overcoat she said to me in a quick, cool, cheerful voice: "Do you mind a little fresh air, Monsieur?" I would have liked to say to her: "Come with us to the Verdurins" or "Give me your name and address." I answered: "No, fresh air doesn't bother me, Mademoiselle." Whereupon, without stirring from her seat: "Your friends don't object to smoke?" and she lit a cigarette.  At the third station she sprang from the train.  Next day, I inquired of Albertine who she could be.  For, stupidly thinking that people could have but one sort of love, in my jealousy of Albertine's attitude towards Robert, I was reassured so far as women were concerned.  Albertine told me, I believe quite sincerely, that she did not know. "I should so like to see her again," I exclaimed.  "Don't worry, one always sees people again," replied Albertine.  In this particular instance she was wrong; I never saw her again, and never identified, the handsome girl with the cigarette.

Marcel Proust, Cities of the Plain, p. 912

Once again, Proust expresses his doubt that someone could love both sexes - or at least he's reflecting back on what he "stupidly" believed then.  "For, stupidly thinking that people could have but one sort of love, in my jealousy of Albertine's attitude towards Robert, I was reassured so far as women were concerned."  This reflection was inspired by a beautiful woman who had ended up in the same train compartment as him.  Marcel tells us, "I could not take my eyes off her magnolia skin, her dark eyes, the bold and admirable composition of her forms."  Knowing my well-documented fascination with dark European actresses with terrible secrets, I suspect I wouldn't be able to forget her either.