Чума
Part II
Kneelingdown,theyseemedstillmorehunchedandshrivelledup,lostinthesemi-darknesslikepiecesofcoagulatedshadow,scarcelymoresubstantialhereandtherethanthemistinwhichtheyhovered.Abovethemtheorganplayedendlessvariations.
AsRambertcameoutGonzaleswasalreadygoingbackdownthestairwaytowardsthetown.
"Ithoughtyou’dgone,"hetoldthejournalist."It’snormal."
Heexplainedthathehadbeenexpectinghisfriendsatanothermeeting-place,notfaraway,wherehehadarrangedtomeetthemattentoeight.Hehadwaitedfortwentyminutes,invain.
"There’ssomeproblem,that’sforsure.Thingsdon’talwaysgosmoothlyinourlineofwork."
Hesuggestedanotherrendezvous,thenextdayatthesametimeinfrontofthewarmemorial.Rambertsighedandpushedbackhishat.
"It’snothing,"Gonzalesassuredhim."Thinkofallthemoves,crossesandpassesthathavetobemadebeforeyouscoreagoal."
"Ofcourse,"Rambertagreed."Butamatchonlylastsanhourandahalf
ThewarmemorialinOranissituatedattheonlyplacefromwhichonecanseethesea,asortofpromenadewhichforquiteashortdistancerunsalongthecliffsoverlookingtheport.ThefollowingdayRambert,firsttoarriveatthemeeting-place,wasattentivelyreadingthelistofthosewhohaddiedonthefieldofhonour.
