Чума
Part II
Buthewillcontinuetobethehistorianoftheheartachesandsoul-searchingthattheplagueimposedonallourfellow-citizensatthistime.
Inreality,itwasnogreatmeritonthepartofthosewhodedicatedthemselvestothehealthteams,becausetheyknewthatitwastheonlythingtobedoneandnotdoingitwouldhavebeenincredibleatthetime.Theteamshelpedthetownspeopletogetfurtherintotheplagueandtosomeextentconvincedthemthat,sincethediseasewashere,theyhadtodowhateverneededtobedonetoovercomeit.So,becausetheplaguebecametheresponsibilityofsomeofus,itappearedtobewhatitreallywas—amatterthatconcernedeverybody.
Thisisallverywell;butnoonecongratulatesaschoolmasterforteachingthattwoandtwomakefour.Onemightperhapscongratulatehimonchoosingafineprofession;soletussaythatitwaslaudableofTarrouandotherstohavechosentoshowthattwoandtwomakefourratherthanotherwise,butletusalsosaythattheysharedthisgoodimpulsewiththeschoolmasterandwithallthosewhothinkashedoes—whoaremorenumerousthanpeoplethink,tothecreditofhumanity;atleast,thatisthenarrator’sview.Moreover,heiswellawareoftheobjectionthatyoumightmaketohim,namelythatthosemenwereriskingtheirlives.Buttherealwayscomesatimeinhistorywhenthepersonwhodarestosaythattwoandtwomakefourispunishedbydeath.Theschoolmasterknowsthisquitewell.
