even if I had seen it, tied with string to keep it in its place in the mosaic of monthly parts and pamphlets which adorned either side of his doorway, a doorway more mysterious, more teeming with suggestion than that of a cathedral, I should have noticed and bought it there simply because I had recognised it as a book which had been well spoken of, in my hearing, by the school-master or the school-friend who, at that particular time, seemed to me to be entrusted with the secret of Truth and Beauty, things half-felt by me, half-incomprehensible, the full understanding of which was the vague but permanent object of my thoughts.
Zeren, nahiz eta Combrayn bertan erosia izan delako liburu hori, Borange janari-dendaren aurrealdean ikusita, denda hura, Françoisek bertan erosketak Camusenean bezain eroso egin ahal izateko etxetik urrunegi egon arren, papertegi eta liburutegi gisa hornituagoa baitzen, listaritan bildua ikusi ere, hango atearen alde banatara-ate, izan ere, misteriotsuago eta pentsamenduz ereinagoa katedral batekoa baino-pilatzen zèn iheki eta jenerozko mosaiko haren erdian, erosi ere zeragatik izaten bainuen erosia, ezagutua nuelako, irakasleak huraxe obra gogoangarritzat aipatua zidalako, irakasleak edo garai hartan egiaren eta ederraren sekretuaren jabe zela iruditzen zitzaidàn ikaskideren batek, egiaren eta ederraren ezaupidea baitzen-artean, niretzat, bai bata bai bestea, erdi zantzutuak, erdi ulertezinak izan arren-nire pentsamenduaren xede lanbrotsu bezain hisiatua betiere.