Чума
Part II
"Oh!"MmeRieuxexclaimed."Iamverypleasedtomeetyou."
Whensheleft,Tarrouturnedhisbackonheragain.Thedoctortriedinvaintoputthelandinglightson,butthestairwayremainedplungedindarkness.Hewonderedifthiswasastheresultofsomeneweconomymeasure.Itwasimpossibletotell.Forsometimenoweverythinginhomesandinthetownhadbeenbreakingdown.Perhapsthiswassimplybecausetheconciergesandpeopleingeneralnolongertookcareofthings.ButthedoctordidnothavetimetowonderaboutitbecauseTarrou’svoicewasechoingbehindhim:
"Onemorething,doctor,evenifitseemsridiculoustoyou:youarequiteright."
Inthedarkness,Rieuxshruggedhisshoulders—forhisownbenefit.
"Ireallydon’tknowaboutthat.Doyou?"
"Ah,"theothermansaid,calmly."Iknowmostthings."
ThedoctorstoppedandbehindhimTarrou’sfootslippedonastair.HerecoveredhisbalancebyputtingahandonRieux’sshoulder.
"Doyouthinkyouknoweverythingaboutlife?"thedoctorasked.
Thereplycamethoughthedarkness,inthesametranquiltones:
"Yes."
Whentheycameoutintothestreettheyrealizedthatitwasquitelate,perhapseleveno’clock.Thetownwassilent,inhabitedonlybyrustlingnoises.Far,faraway,thesirenofanambulancesounded.TheygotintothecarandRieuxturnedontheengine.
