The Stupid Frenchman

The waiter placed before the neighbor a mountain of pancakes and two plates with balyk and salmon. The respectable gentleman downed a shot of vodka, had a bite of salmon, and set to the pancakes. To Purquois’s great astonishment, he ate them hurriedly, scarcely chewing, like a hungry man…
“Obviously he is ill...” thought the Frenchman. “And can it be that the eccentric imagines he will eat that whole mountain? He won’t manage even three bites before his stomach is full, and yet he’ll have to pay for the whole pile!”
— Bring me some more caviar! — shouted the neighbor, wiping his buttery lips with a napkin. — And don’t forget the green onion!
“But... however, half the mountain is already gone!” the clown was horrified. “My God, has he eaten all the salmon too? This is unnatural… Can the human stomach really stretch that much? Impossible! No matter how stretchable a stomach may be, it cannot stretch beyond the limits of the belly… If this gentleman were in France, they’d exhibit him for money… Good God, the mountain is gone already!”
— Bring a bottle of Nuits... — said the neighbor, taking the caviar and onions from the waiter. — But warm it first... What else? Perhaps bring another portion of pancakes... Quickly, though...
— At once... And after the pancakes, what would you like?
— Something lighter... Order a portion of sterlet solyanka, Russian style, and... and... I’ll think about it, go on!