HISTORY PAGES
Agostinelli was born in Monaco on October 11 , 1888 . He first met Proust in summer 1907 in the French seaside resort of Cabourg in Normandy where the writer was a regular . Marcel Proust was then 36 , while Alfred was only 18 . This was not their only meeting , however . A few years later , in 1913 , fate brought them together again .
Alfred had lost his job as a taxi driver in Monaco and turned to his old acquaintance Proust for help . At the time , the writer was living in Paris and had his own personal driver Odilon Albare for whom there were no grounds for dismissal . Marcel offered Alfred a post as his secretary . His duties mainly consisted of reprinting the writer ’ s manuscripts . In addition , Agostinelli and his girlfriend Anna were allowed to live in his apartment on Haussmann Boulevard . Alfred Agostinelli accepted these terms and joined Proust in Paris .
THE PRISONER
According to Proust ’ s biographers , the work of secretary was more of a burden to the young Monegasque . His previous job of taxi driver involved constant movement and meeting new people . Now he was stuck with a typewriter for days in the writer ’ s apartment .
In addition , Proust showed a special predilection towards the young Monegasque . The relationship between the two men was complicated even further as Alfred ’ s girlfriend demonstrated a certain jealosy . Anna made scenes . And most importantly , Marcel followed his young secretary ’ s every step , obsessed about his slightest visit or acquaintance . That ’ s what the writer ’ s notes from 1909 and 1913 suggest . The notes were sold as part of a private collection at an auction in 2013 . The French National Library , however , managed to redeem this precious document . Not easy to decipher , it describes the Parisian experience of a certain A on August 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 , 1913 . This must have been Proust ’ s way to record his unfruitful surveillance .
It was not easy on the writer either . He kept complaining to his friends about emotional distress and additional financial expenses . He even compared himself to “ a ruined gambler in love .”
In his attempt to retain the Monegasque , Proust encouraged Agostinelli in his dream of flying a plane . In November 1913 he paid for his piloting course at the Blériot school , in the Parisian neigbourhood . The young man dropped out , however , at exam time .
Since the whole situation was unhealthy , Alfred and Anna eventually fled from Marcel Proust . In December 1913 they moved in with Alfred ’ s father in Monaco .
THE FUGITIVE
Proust was not about to give up in his attempts to get the fugitives back . He even promised a small pension to Eugène Agostinelli if his son joined Proust back in Paris . But the decision was down to Alfred , and he was adamant .
His correspondence with Marcel Proust carried on , however . The writer kept buying him expensive gifts , an airplane among others . The Monegasque refused to accept it , while Proust refused to take it back .
Marcel Proust ( 1871 – 1922 ) Портрет Марселя Пруста
SWANN ’ S WAY
Back in Monaco , Alfred Agostinelli pursued his passion for piloting and enrolled in Garbero brothers school in Antibes . He gave himself the pseudonym Marcel Swann which suggests he was familiar with Proust ’ s “ In Search of Lost Time ”.
On May 30 , 1914 , he was piloting a plane on his own , Anna and other friends watching him from the ground . No one knew back then that the flight was to be fatal for the 25-year-old Alfred Agostinelli . Exhilarated by the open air and the delight of piloting , Alfred took a prohibited and dangerous turn , flying over the sea . Sadly , he failed to keep the plane up and crashed right in front of his stunned audience . The aircraft sank , whilst the drowning pilot was unsuccessfully calling for help . The rescue boats arrived too late . That was the end of Alfred Agostinelli . His body was only recovered a week later . Alfred found his last refuge in Nice .
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