【書摘】在斯萬家那邊—希爾貝特 (Gilberte) 13
Ces paroles nouvelles, mon amour les entendait ; elles le persuadaient que le lendemain ne serait pas différent de ce qu’avaient été tous les autres jours ; que le sentiment de Gilberte pour moi, trop ancien déjà pour pouvoir changer, c’était l’indifférence ; que dans mon amitié avec Gilberte, c’est moi seul qui aimais. « C’est vrai, répondait mon amour, il n’y a plus rien à faire de cette amitié-là, elle ne changera pas. » Alors dès le lendemain (ou attendant une fête s’il y en avait une prochaine, un anniversaire, le nouvel an peut-être, un de ces jours qui ne sont pas pareils aux autres, où le temps recommence sur de nouveaux frais en rejetant l’héritage du passé, en n’acceptant pas le legs de ses tristesses) je demandais à Gilberte de renoncer à notre amitié ancienne et de jeter les bases d’une nouvelle amitié.
(Éditions Gallimard, 1987)

這些新的話語，我的愛情是聽到了的；這些話語使它信服，明天不會跟已逝的日子有什麼兩樣；希爾貝特對我的感情已經年深日久，不可能有所改變，只能是冷漠而已；至於我對希爾貝特的愛情，愛著的只是我這一方面。我的愛情答道：「是的，對這份友情已經無計可施，它是不會改變的。」這樣，明天一來（或者等個最近的節慶日子，等個周年紀念，或者是元旦，反正是與眾有所不同的一個日子，到那時時間會拋棄過去的遺產，拒絕接受它留下的悽楚，另起爐灶），到那時，我會要求希爾貝特拋棄我們的舊友情，奠定我們新的友情的基礎。
(p.445 追憶似水年華 I 在斯萬家那邊 聯經版 1992)

這些前所未聞的話，我的愛情都聽見了；這些話讓它相信：下一天跟以前的那些日子不會有什麼兩樣；吉爾貝特對我的感情已經積重難返，惟餘冷漠而已；我和吉爾貝特的友情中，是我在單相思。“可不是，”我的愛情應答說，“對這樣的友情沒什么可指望的了，它改變不了啦。”所以，等到第二天（或者等個最近的節慶日，等個生日，或者新年，總之是個有些特殊的日子，到那會兒，時間會拒絕接受逝去歲月的遺產，把往昔的憂愁拋在一邊，從頭開始新的進程），我就會要求吉爾貝特放棄我倆舊的友誼，奠定一種新的友誼的基礎。
(p.456~457 追尋逝去的時光 I 去斯萬家那邊 上海譯文版 周克希譯 2004)

These new counsels, my love listened and heard them; they persuaded it that the morrow would not be different from all the days that had gone before; that Gilberte’s feeling for me, too long established now to be capable of alteration, was indifference; that hi my friendship with Gilberte, it was I alone who loved. “That is true,” my love responded, “there is nothing more to be made of that friendship. It will not alter now.” And so the very next day (unless I were to wait for a public holiday, if there was one approaching, some anniversary, the New Year, perhaps, one of those days which are not like other days, on which time starts afresh, casting aside the heritage of the past, declining its legacy of sorrows) I would appeal to Gilberte to terminate our old and to join me in laying the foundations of a new friendship.
(Translated by C. K. Scott Moncrieff )

These new words were heard by my love; they persuaded it that the next day would not be different from what all the other days had been; that Gilberte’s feeling for me, already too old o be able to change, was indifference; that in my friendship with Gilberte, I was the only one who loved. “It’s true,” my love answered, “there’s nothing more to be done with this friendship, it won’t change.” And so, the very next day (or waiting for a public holiday if there was one coming up soon, or an anniversary, or the New Year perhaps, one of those days which are not like the others, when time makes a fresh start by rejecting the heritage of the past, by not accepting the legacy of its sorrows) I would ask Gilberte to give up our old friendship and lay the foundations of a new one.
(Translated by Lydia Davis)