Чума
Part II
Yes,hewasexhaustedbythisstudythatentirelyabsorbedhim,buthecontinuednonethelesstodothecalculationsandstatisticsthatthehealthteamsneeded.Patiently,everyevening,hesortedoutthecardindex,translateditintodiagramsandslowlyendeavouredtopresentthesituationinaspreciseawayaspossible.HewouldoftengotojoinRieuxinoneofthehospitals,wherehewouldaskforatableinsomeofficeorward.Hesettleddowntherewithhispapers,exactlyasthoughhewassittingathistableintheHôteldeVilleand,inairthickwiththesmellofdisinfectantandofthediseaseitself,wouldshakehispaperstodrytheinkonthem.Atsuchtimeshetriedhonestlynottothinkofhisslenderhorsewomanandtodoonlywhathadtobedone.
Yes,ifmenreallydohavetoofferthemselvesmodelsandexampleswhomtheycallheroes,andiftherereallyhastobeoneinthisstory,thenarratorwouldliketoofferthisinsignificantandself-effacingherowhohadnothingtorecommendhimbutalittlegoodnessinhisheartandanapparentlyridiculousideal.Thiswouldbetogivetruthitsdue,togivethesumoftwoandtwoitstotaloffour,andtogiveheroismthesecondaryplacethatitdeserves,justafter—butneverbefore—thegenerousdemandofhappiness.Itwouldalsodefinethenatureofthischronicle,whichistobethatofanaccountmadeupofgoodfeelings,whichistosayfeelingsthatareneithervisiblybadnordesignedtoarouseemotionintheunpleasantmannerofastageplay.
