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Part II
Sothejournalisthadexhaustedhimselfwithvisitsandgainedaclearideaofhowanhôteldevilleoraprefectureworked,afterwaitingonanimitationleatherbenchinfrontoflargepostersinvitinghimtosubscribetoanissueoftax-freebondsortojointhecolonialarmy,andgoingintooneofficeafteranotherwherehecouldaseasilyforeseethefacesthatwouldgreethimasthefilingcabinetsandtheshelvesofdossiers.Thegoodthingaboutallthis,asRamberttoldRieux,withahintofbitterness,wasthatithidtherealsituationfromhim.Hewaspracticallyunawareofthespreadoftheplague.Nottomentionthatitmadethedaysgobyfasterand,inthesituationinwhichthewholetownfounditself,youmightsaythateverydaythatwentbybroughteachman,providedhedidnotdie,closertotheendofhistroubles.Rieuxhadtoacknowledgethatthiswastrue,butthatastruthsgo,itwasratherabroadone.
Ataparticularmoment,Rambertbecamehopeful.ThePrefecturehadsenthimablankformwhichtheyaskedhimtofilloutprecisely.Theformenquiredabouthisidentity,hisfamilysituation,hisformerandpresentresourcesandthatwhichtheycalledhiscurriculumvitae.Hegottheimpressionthatthiswasanenquirydesignedtodrawupalistofpeoplewhomightbesentbacktotheirusualplaceofresidence.Somevagueinformation,pickedupinanoffice,confirmedthisnotion.