And amidst this display of appetite, increased tenfold by fatigue, and of eager haste to fill one's stomach in order to return to the Grotto more quickly, there was a corpulent ecclesiastic who in no wise hurried, but ate of every dish with prudent slowness, crunching his food with a ceaseless, dignified movement of the jaws.
"_Fichtre_!" exclaimed M.de Guersaint, "it is by no means cool in here.
All the same, I shall be glad of something to eat, for I've felt a sinking in the stomach ever since I have been at Lourdes.

And you--are you hungry ?" "Yes, yes, I shall eat," replied Pierre, though, truth to tell, he felt quite upset.
The _menu_ was a copious one.

There was salmon, an omelet, mutton cutlets with mashed potatoes, stewed kidneys, cauliflowers, cold meats, and apricot tarts--everything cooked too much, and swimming in sauce which, but for its grittiness, would have been flavourless.

However, there was some fairly fine fruit on the glass stands, particularly some peaches.
And, besides, the people did not seem at all difficult to please; they apparently had no palates, for there was no sign of nausea.

Hemmed in between an old priest and a dirty, full-bearded man, a girl of delicate build, who looked very pretty with her soft eyes and silken skin, was eating some kidneys with an expression of absolute beatitude, although the so-called "sauce" in which they swam was simply greyish water.
"Hum!" resumed even M.de Guersaint, "this salmon is not so bad.