Чума
Part II
"It’smytaskinlife,that:togiveopportunities."
"Excuseme,"saidRambert."Imustbeleaving."
TheThursdaywhenhewasduetomeetGonzales,Rambertwenttotheporchofthecathedral,fiveminutesbeforeeighto’clock.Theairwasstillquitecool.Littleroundwhitecloudsweretravellingacrosstheskywhichwouldshortlybeswallowedupbytheheat.Avaguescentofhumiditywasstillrisingfromthelawns,dryastheywere.Thesun,risingbehindthehousesintheEast,onlywarmedJoanofArc’sfullygildedhelmetwhichdecoratedthesquare.Aclockstruckeight.Rambertwalkedbackandforthalittleundertheemptyporch.Faintsoundsofchantingwereemergingfromwithin,mixedwitholdperfumesofcellarsandincense.Suddenly,thesingingstopped.Adozensmallblackshapescameoutofthechurchandbegantotrotalonginthedirectionofthetown.Rambertwasstartingtogetimpatient.Otherblackformswerewalkingupthebroadstairwaystowardstheporch.Helitacigarette,thenthoughtthatperhapsthiswasnottheproperplaceforit.
Atquarterpasteightthecathedralorganstartedtoplaysoftly.Rambertwentintothedarkvault.Afteramoment,hecouldmakeoutinthenavetheblackshapesthathadgoneinaheadofhim.TheywereallgatheredinonecorneraroundasortofimprovisedaltaronwhichsomeonehadsetupastatueofSaintRoch,hastilycarvedinoneofthetownworkshops.
