Soji and Solanka enter the Shrine of the Virgin Mary, where they are greeted by a crowd of people. As they enter the shrine, they are met by the crowd, who greet them with "shouts" and "puffs" . The women, realizing that they are nearing the end of their visit to the shrine and that they will soon have to part ways with the others, ask each other if they will go back to the house and eat the food they have just eaten