Чума
Part II
"Youmustcometothehospitaltomorrow,"hesaid."Togetyourpreventativevaccine.But,onceandforall,beforeyoubecomeinvolved,tellyourselfthatyouhaveaone-in-threechanceofsurviving."
"Calculationslikethataremeaningless,doctor,andyouknowitaswellasIdo.Ahundredyearsago,anoutbreakofplaguekilledalltheinhabitantsofatowninPersia,exceptthemanwhowashedbodies,whohadcarriedonwithhisjobthroughout."
"Hegothisonechanceinthree,that’sall,"Rieuxsaid;andsuddenlythesoundofhisvoicewasduller."Butit’strue:westillknownothingaboutthismatter."
Theywerereachingtheoutskirtsoftown.Theheadlightsshoneonemptystreets.Thecarstopped.Whenhewasstandingnexttoit,RieuxaskedTarrouwhetherhewantedtocomein.Theothermansaidhedid.AbrieflightintheskylituptheirfacesandsuddenlyRieuxgaveafriendlylaugh.
"Comenow,Tarrou,"hesaid."Whatmakesyouwanttogetinvolvedinallthis?"
"Idon’tknow.Mysenseofmorality,perhaps?"
"Whatmorality?"
"Understanding."
TarrouturnedtowardsthehouseandRieuxdidnotseehisfaceagainuntiltheywereintheoldasthmatic’sflat.
***
Tarroustartedworktheverynextdayandmusteredafirstteamthatwastobefollowedbymanyothers.
