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Part II
Buttheywouldhavetohurrybecausetherewastalkrecentlyofsettingupdoublesentrypostsoutsidethetown.
Rambertagreedandhandedroundsomeofhislastcigarettes.TheoneofthepairwhohadnotyetspokenaskedGonzalesifthematterofexpenseshadbeensettledandiftheycouldhaveanadvance.
"No,"saidGonzales."There’snoneed.He’safriend.Theaccountwillbesettledondeparture."
Theyfixedanewmeeting.GonzalessuggesteddiningintheSpanishrestaurantthedayafternext.Fromtheretheycouldgotothesentries’house.
"Forthefirstnight,"hetoldRambert,"I’llkeepyoucompany."
ThenextdayRambertwasgoinguptohisroominthehotelwhenhemetTarrouonthestaircase.
"I’mgoingtoseeRieux,"Tarrousaid."Wouldyouliketocome?"
Ramberthesitatedandsaid:"IneverknowifI’mgettinginhisway."
"Idon’tthinkso.Heoftentalkstomeaboutyou."
Thejournalistthought,thensaid:"Listen,ifyouhaveamomentafterdinner,howeverlateitis,bothofyoucometothehotelbar."
"Itdependsonhimandontheplague,"saidTarrou.
Evenso,ateleveno’clockthatevening,RieuxandTarroucameintothenarrowlittlebar.Aboutthirtypeoplewerethere,pressedtogether,talkinginveryloudvoices.Comingfromthesilenceofthestrickentown,thenewarrivalshalted,slightlystunned.
