And meantime the splendid equipages descended the triumphal avenue, and the crowd with its luxury flowed along the sidewalks, one and all joyous and superb, seemingly with no idea that somewhere at the far end there was a gaping abyss wherein everyone of them would fall and be annihilated! When Pierre got as far as the Summer Circus he was much surprised at again seeing Salvat, the journeyman engineer, on one of the avenue seats.
He must have sunk down there, overcome by weariness and hunger, after many a vain search.

However, his jacket was still distended by something he carried in or under it, some bit of bread, no doubt, which he meant to take home with him.

And leaning back, with his arms hanging listlessly, he was watching with dreamy eyes the play of some very little children, who, with the help of their wooden spades, were laboriously raising mounds of sand, and then destroying them by dint of kicks.

As he looked at them his red eyelids moistened, and a very gentle smile appeared on his poor discoloured lips.

This time Pierre, penetrated by disquietude, wished to approach and question him.