ways
carried in his pocket he captured a drumstick all glazed with jelly,
tore it with his teeth, and then proceeded to chew it with satisfaction
so evident that a deep groan of distress went up from the whole party.

Upon this Boule de Suif in a gentle and humble tone invited the two
Sisters to share the collation. They both accepted on the spot, and
without raising their eyes began to eat very hurriedly, after stammering
a few words of thanks. Nor did Cornudet refuse his neighbor's offer, and
with the Sisters they formed a kind of table by spreading out newspapers
on their knees.

The jaws opened and shut without a pause, biting, chewing, gulping
ferociously. Loiseau, hard at work in his corner, urged his wife in a
low voice to follow his example. She resisted for some time, then, after
a pang which gripped her very vitals, she gave in. Whereupon her
husband, rounding off his phrases, asked if their "charming
fellow-traveler" would permit him to offer a little something to Madame
Loiseau.

"Why, yes, certainly, Monsieur," she answered with a pleasant smile, and
handed him the dish.

There was a moment of embarrassment when the first bottle of claret was
uncorked--there was but the one drinking-cup. Each one wiped it before
passing it to the rest. Cornudet alone, from an impulse of gallantry no
doubt, placed his lips on the spot still wet from the lips of his
neighbor.

Then it was that, surrounded by people who were eating, suffocated by
the fragrant odor of the viands, the Count and Countess de Breville and
Monsieur and Madame Carre-Lamadon suffered the agonies of that torture
which has ever been associated with the name of Tantalus. Suddenly the
young wife of the cotton manufacturer gave a deep sigh. Every head
turned towards her; she was as white as the snow outside, her eyes
closed, her head fell forward--she had fainted. Her husband, distraught
with fear, implored assistance of the whole company. All lost their
heads till the elder of the two Sisters, who supported the unconscious
lady, forced Boule de Suif's drinking-cup between her lips and made her
swallow a few drops of wine. The pretty creature stirred, opened her
eyes, smiled and then declared in an expiring voice that she felt quite
well now. But to prevent her being overcome again in the same manner,
the Sister induced her to drink a full cup of wine, adding, "It is
simply hunger--nothing else."

At this Boule de Suif, blushing violently, looked a