Чума
Part II
"Afterall…,"thedoctorcontinued,hesitatingagainandlookingcloselyatTarrou."Andthisissomethingthatamanlikeyourselfmightunderstand;sincetheorderoftheworldisgovernedbydeath,perhapsitisbetterforGodthatweshouldnotbelieveinHimandstrugglewithallourstrengthagainstdeath,withoutraisingoureyestoheavenandtoHissilence."
"Yes,"Tarrouagreed,"Icanunderstand.Butyourvictorieswillalwaysbetemporary,that’sall."
AcloudseemedtopassoverRieux’sface.
"Always,Iknowthat.Butthatisnotareasontogiveupthestruggle."
"No,it’snotareason.ButinthatcaseIcanimaginewhatthisplaguemustmeantoyou."
"Yes,"saidRieux."Anendlessdefeat."
Tarroustaredatthedoctorforamoment,thengotupandwalkedstifflytowardsthedoor.Rieuxfollowed.HewasabouttocatchhimupwhenTarrou,whoseemedtobestaringathisfeet,said:
"Whotaughtyouallthat,doctor?"
Thereplywasinstantaneous.
"Suffering."
Rieuxopenedthedoorofhisofficeand,inthecorridor,toldTarrouthathewouldcomedownaswell,sincehehadtoseeoneofhispatientsontheoutskirtsoftown.Tarrouofferedtoaccompanyhimandthedoctoraccepted.AttheendofthecorridortheymetMmeRieux,andthedoctorintroducedTarroutoher.
"Afriend,"hesaid.
