Чума
Part I
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"Ithinkyoushould,"saidRieux.
Hiscleanerhadjusttoldhimthattheyhadpickedupseveralhundreddeadratsinthelargefactorywhereherhusbandworked.
Inanyevent,itwasaroundthistimethatourtownspeoplestartedtobecomeconcerned.Indeed,fromthe18thonwards,factoriesandwarehousesbegantoproducehundredsofbodiesofdeadrats.Insomecases,peoplewereobligedtofinishthecreaturesoff,iftheyweretakingtoolongtodie.But,fromtheoutskirtstothecentreofthetown,whereverDrRieuxhappenedtogoandwhereverourfellow-citizensgathered,pilesofratswerewaiting,inthedustbinsorinlongrowsinthegutters.Thatwasthedaytheeveningpaperspickedupthematter,askingifthecivicauthoritiesintendedtodosomething,ornot,andwhatemergencymeasureshadtheyplannedtoprotectthepublicfromthisdisgustinginfestation.Theauthoritieshadnotconsideredorplannedanythingatall,butstartedbyholdingacouncilmeetingtodiscussit.Anorderwasgiventotherodentcontrolservicetocollectthedeadratseverymorningatdawn.Whenthecollectionwasover,twooftheservice’svansshouldtaketheanimalstothewasteincinerationplanttohavethemburnt.
Despitethis,inthedaysthatfollowedthesituationgotworse.Thenumberofrodentspickedupcontinuedtoincreaseandtheharvestwasgreatermorningbymorning.Afterthefourthdaytheratsstartedtoemergeingroupstodie.
