The Time of Lost Time, Overture,

For a long time I used to go to bed early. Sometimes when I had put out my candle, my eyes would close so quickly that I had not even time to say I'm going to sleep. And half an hour later, the thought that it was time to go to sleep would awaken me. It did not disturb my mind, but it lay like scales upon my eyes and prevented them from registering the fact that the candle was no longer burning. The subject of my book would separate itself from me, leaving me free to choose whether I would form part of it or no. Of course, while I was asleep, I had returned without the least effort to an earlier stage in my life