Чума
Part II
However,itisnotthenarrator’sintentiontoattributemoresignificancetothesehealthgroupsthantheyactuallyhad.Itistruethatnowadaysmanyofourfellow-citizenswould,inhisplace,succumbtothetemptationtoexaggeratetheirrole.Butthenarratorisratherinclinedtobelievethatbygivingtoomuchimportancetofineactionsonemayendbypayinganindirectbutpowerfultributetoevil,becauseinsodoingoneimpliesthatsuchfineactionsareonlyvaluablebecausetheyarerare,andthatmaliceorindifferencearefarmorecommonmotivesintheactionsofmen.Thenarratordoesnotsharethisview.Theevilintheworldcomesalmostalwaysfromignorance,andgoodwillcancauseasmuchdamageasill-willifitisnotenlightened.Peoplearemoreoftengoodthanbad,thoughinfactthatisnotthequestion.Buttheyaremoreorlessignorantandthisiswhatonecallsviceorvirtue,themostappallingvicebeingtheignorancethatthinksitknowseverythingandwhichconsequentlyauthorizesitselftokill.Themurderer’ssoulisblind,andthereisnotruegoodnessorfinelovewithoutthegreatestpossibledegreeofclear-sightedness.
ThisiswhythehealthteamsthatwereorganizedthankstoTarroushouldbeviewedwithsatisfaction,butalsoobjectivity;sothenarratorwillnotbecomeanover-eloquenteulogistofadeterminationandheroismtowhichheattachesonlyamoderatedegreeofimportance.
