they are studying the German troop movements. Marcel discusses the war with Robert's uncle, the Baron de Charlus as they hear the all-clear siren. Odette visits a former lover who is sick and in bed. He instructs her to open a gift on the table which reveals several hundred francs. She closes the box and walks towards the bed to caress the man. It then cuts to a funeral which Marcel attends. The widow reveals the anger she feels at finding letters from her husband's mistress. Marcel reassures her that he loved her best. Robert and Marcel then discuss the war. It then cuts to Marcel inside of an elevator in conversation with the bellhop about whether he had an intimate relationship with Robert. We then see Robert and Marcel at a later time where Robert is dressed in his military uniform. He discusses the bravery of commoners and their willingness to die for their country which makes them the best soldiers. Madame Verdurin and Charlie are seen having lunch. She speaks of being written a prescription for croissants as it cures her headaches. She asks Charlie about his recent encounter with his former lover Charlus and we flash back to it. Charlie turns down an invitation to spend the night with Charlus to which he replies, “Charlie! Look out. I’ll get even!” Marcel walks down a dark street and has flashbacks of his childhood. He encounters Le Prince de Foix and they discuss Robert who has been wrongly implicated in a spy scandal. Marcel visits a male brothel full of soldiers earning extra money while on leave from the war. He discovers a room where he hears the cries of Charlus who is being brutally whipped by one of the male prostitutes. As he is being tortured the screen turns red with blood. The whipping turns out to be erotic roleplaying requested by Charlus. He is a regular and knows all of the male prostitutes who work there. Marcel spies on Charlus through a window in his room. Marcel joins the soldiers in the common room where he sits in a chair. All the men then tell him not to sit in that chair as it is the place where the elder Prince de Foix died. The soldiers all line up as Charlus enters the room. Charlus walks by each of the soldiers, addresses them, and gives them money.