Чума
Part II
Heknewthattheanxietyandoverworkofthepastfewdayshadlinedhisface.
"Youhaven’thadagoodday,then?"saidMmeRieux.
"Oh,muchasusual."
Asusual!ThatmeantthatthenewserumtheyhadsentfromParisseemedtobelesseffectivethanthepreviousoneandthatthedeath-tollwasrising.Therewasstillnopossibilityofvaccinatingwithpreventiveserumexceptinfamiliesalreadyaffectedbythedisease:ageneralinoculationwouldhaverequiredindustrialquantities.Mostoftheswellingsrefusedtoletthemselvesbelanced,asthoughtheseasonhadcomeforthemtoharden,andtheytormentedtheirvictims.Thepreviousday,twonewformsoftheepidemichadappearedinthetown.Heretheplaguewasstartingtoaffectthelungs.Thesameday,inameetingbetweentheharasseddoctorsandaconfusedPrefect,thedoctorshadaskedforandgothisagreementtonewmeasurestopreventmouth-to-mouthinfectionfromthispulmonaryplague.Asusual,nooneknewanything.
Helookedathismother.Herfinechestnuteyesbroughtbackyearsoftendernessinhim.
"Areyouafraid,mother?"
"Atmyage,onenolongerfearsanythingmuch."
"ThedaysareverylongandI’mneverherenow."
"Idon’tmindwaitingforyouifIknowthatyouwillbecoming.Andwhenyouaren’there,Ithinkaboutwhatyouaredoing.Doyouhaveanynews?"
"Yes,everything’sallright,accordingtoherlatesttelegram.
