Чума
Part II
Atthebeginning,travellerswhowereunabletoleavethetownwerekeptinthehotelbytheclosingofthegates.Butlittlebylittle,astheepidemiccontinued,manyofthemchosetostaywithfriends.Sonowthesamereasonsthathadfilledalltheroomsinthehotelkeptthemempty,sincenonewtravellerswerearrivingintown.Tarrouremainedoneofthefewtenantsandthemanagerneverletslipanopportunitytoremindhimthat,wereitnotforhiseagernesstopleasehislastcustomers,hewouldhaveclosedtheplacelongago.HeoftenaskedTarroutoestimatetheprobablelengthoftheepidemic:"Theysay",Tarrounoted,"thatcoldisunfavourabletothissortofillness."Themanagerwasappalled:"Butit’sneverreallycoldhere,Monsieur.Inanycase,itwouldmeanwaitingforseveralmonthsmore."Quiteapartfromthat,hewassurethattravellerswouldtakealongtimetocomebacktothetown.Thisplaguewastheruinationoftourism.
Intherestaurant,M.Othon,theowlman,reappeared,butonlyfollowedbyhistwoperformingdogs.Afterenquiryitwaslearnedthatthewifehadcaredforandburiedherownmother,andwasnowinquarantine.
"Idon’tlikeit,"themanagersaidtoTarrou."Quarantineornot,sheissuspect,andinthatcasesoarethey."
Tarroupointedoutthat,ifyouconsidereditinthatway,everyonewassuspect.Buttheothermanwasinsistentandsawthewholequestioninblackandwhite.
"No,Monsieur.Neitherofusissuspect,whiletheyare.
