He sat before a plate of pancakes and sausages, waiting for the square of butter to melt and run so he could use his fork to swirl it into the torpid syrup and then watch the marks made by the tines slowly fold into the soak.

it was such a torpid, slovenly economy, based as it was on the most inefficient and backward labour force, that it needed some sort of jolt from outside

spend his time lying on beds, on chaise lounges and analysts’ couches, torpid and engorged, like a boa that has just swallowed a small rat