TY - BOOK AU - Zola,Émile AU - Vizetelly,Ernest Alfred TI - The Three Cities Trilogy: Lourdes, Volume 3 AV - PQ PY - 2005/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Clergy -- Fiction KW - Catholics -- Fiction KW - Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Fiction KW - Lourdes (France) -- Fiction N1 - Release date is 2005-07-01; Produced by Dagny and David Widger; Original publication data not identified N2 - "The Three Cities Trilogy: Lourdes, Volume 3" by Émile Zola is a novel written during the late 19th century that immerses readers in the complex social and religious dynamics surrounding the pilgrimage site of Lourdes. The story revolves around characters such as M. de Guersaint, a cheerful father, and Pierre, a young priest, who interact with various patients, pilgrims, and townsfolk as they navigate the bustling atmosphere of Lourdes, filled with hope, despair, and the quest for miracles. The opening of the novel introduces M. de Guersaint and Pierre in a hotel filled with visitors, each with their own stories tied to their pilgrimage. As they exchange lively conversations about their plans and the people around them, including M. Vigneron and his son, Gustave, who is ill, the setting reveals the overwhelming presence of the sick and their supporters. The excerpt highlights the contrasts in the characters' experiences, from joyful anticipation to deep sorrow, as they prepare for encounters with the miraculous at the Grotto, setting the stage for the themes of faith, healing, and social critique that Zola explores throughout the book. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8513 ER -