Soon they were all dozing around the stove.
The night seemed terribly long to them.

Now and again they shook themselves, drank some coffee and stretched their necks in the direction of the little room, where the candle, which was not to be snuffed, was burning with a dull red flame, flickering the more because of the black soot on the wick.

Towards morning, they shivered, in spite of the great heat of the stove.

Anguish, and the fatigue of having talked too much was stifling them, whilst their mouths were parched, and their eyes ached.

Madame Lerat threw herself on Lantier's bed, and snored as loud as a man; whilst the other two, their heads falling forward, and almost touching their knees, slept before the fire.