At last he halted, and backed the little car against the quay parapet, in full view of the Grotto.

"Will you be all right here ?" he asked.
"Oh yes, thank you.

Only you must sit me up; I shall then be able to see much better." M.de Guersaint raised her into a sitting posture, and then for his part climbed upon the stonework running from one to the other end of the quay.
A mob of inquisitive people had already scaled it in part, like sight-seers waiting for a display of fireworks; and they were all raising themselves on tiptoe, and craning their necks to get a better view.
Pierre himself at last grew interested, although there was, so far, little to see.
Some thirty thousand people were assembled, and, every moment there were fresh arrivals.

All carried candles, the lower parts of which were wrapped in white paper, on which a picture of Our Lady of Lourdes was printed in blue ink.

However, these candles were not yet lighted, and the only illumination that you perceived above the billowy sea of heads was the bright, forge-like glow of the taper-lighted Grotto.