Чума
Part II
HeremindedthemonlythatontheoccasionofthegreatplagueinMarseille,thehistorianMathieuMaraishadcomplainedofbeingplungedintohell,oflivingwithouthelpandwithouthope.Well,MathieuMaraiswasblind!NeverbeforehadFatherPanelouxfeltmoreintenselytheaidofGodandtheChristianhopethatwasheldouttothemall.Hehoped,againstallhope,thatdespitethehorrorofthesedaysandthecriesofthedying,ourfellow-citizenswouldofferheaventheonlywordthataChristianshould,whichwasthewordoflove.Godwoulddotherest.
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Whetherthissermonhadanyeffectonourtownspeopleishardtosay.M.Othon,theexaminingmagistrate,announcedtoDrRieuxthathefoundFatherPaneloux’sanalysis"absolutelyirrefutable".Butnoteveryonehadsuchacategoricalopinion.Quitesimply,thesermonmadesomepeoplemorereceptivetothenotion—whichhadremainedvagueuptothen—thattheywerecondemnedforsomeunknowncrimetoanunimaginabletermofimprisonment.Andwhilesomecarriedonwiththeirlittlelivesandadaptedtobeingshutin,forothersonthecontrarytheirsoleideafromthenonwastoescapefromthisprison.
Atfirstpeoplehadagreedtobeingcutofffromtheoutsideastheymighthaveacceptedanytemporaryirritationthatwouldonlyinterferewithafewoftheirhabits.
