Чума
Part II
Forexample,mostofthosewhofollowedtheweekofprayercouldhavesubscribedtotheobservationthatoneofthefaithfulmadetoDrRieux:"Inanyevent,itcan’tdoanyharm."EvenTarrou,havingremarkedinhisnotebookthattheChineseinsuchcasesgoandplaythetambourineinfrontofthegenieoftheplague,notedthatitwasquiteimpossibleinrealitytoknowwhetherthetambourinewasmoreeffectivethanotherpreventivehealthmeasures.Headdedonlythattodecidethequestiononewouldneedtobeinformedastotheexistenceofagenieoftheplagueandthatourignoranceinthematternegatedanyopinionthatonemighthave.
Inanycase,thecathedralofourtownhadamoreorlessfullcongregationthroughouttheweek.Onthefirstdaysmanyinhabitantsstillremainedoutsideinthegardensofpalmandpomegranatetreeswhichextendinfrontofitsporch,tolistentothewaveofinvocationsandprayersthatflowedoutintothestreets.Bitbybit,encouragedbyexample,thesamelistenersmadeuptheirmindstogoinandtimidlyaddtheirvoicestotheresponsesofthecongregation.AndonSundayaconsiderablecrowdpouredintothenave,overflowingintotheporchandthetopsteps.Sincetheeveningbeforetheskyhadbeenovercastandrainwaspouringdown.Thosewhoremainedoutsidehadopenedumbrellas.AsFatherPanelouxclimbedthestepsintothepulpit,ascentofincenseanddampclothinghoveredintheair.
Hewasofmediumheight,butstocky.
