the abdominal regions

I nibbled at a corner of the crumbly, kibbly bread.

[…] vainly I had sought to borrow / From my books surcease of sorrow

For it was highly probable in their belief system that one or more of such 'unknown' co-believers were sice, i.e. spacemen disguised as fellowmen, sent to carry private orders to them or to guide them to safety at the time of the[…]