Чума
Part II
ButIunderstandonlytoowellhowmuchyouwanttoleave."
Tarroupaidforanotherround.Rambertgotoffhisstoolandlookedhimdirectlyinthefaceforthefirsttime:
"HowwouldIhavebeenusefultoyou?"
"Well,"Tarrouanswered,unhurriedlyreachingoutforhisglass."Inourhealthteams."
Rambertresumedhisusualairofstubbornreflectionandgotbackuponhisstool.
"Don’tyouthinkthattheteamsareofanyuse?"Tarrousaid.HehadjusttakenadrinkandwasnowlookingcloselyatRambert.
"Veryuseful,"saidthejournalist,drinkinginhisturn.
Rieuxnoticedthathishandwastremblinganddecidedthat,undoubtedly,hewasaltogetherdrunk.
Thenextday,whenRambertcameintotheSpanishrestaurantforthesecondtime,hepassedthroughasmallgroupofmenwhohadtakenchairsoutsideinfrontofthedoorandwereenjoyingagreenandgoldevening,wheretheheatwasonlyjuststartingtosubside.Theyweresmokingbitter-smellingtobacco.Inside,therestaurantwasalmostempty.RambertwentandsatdownatthetableatthebackwherehehadmetGonzalesthefirsttime.Hetoldthewaitressthathewouldwait.Itwasseventhirty.Bitbybit,themencamebackintothedining-roomandsettleddownatthetables,whiletheirordersstartedtobebroughtinandthelowvaultedceilingfilledwiththenoiseofcutleryandmuffledconversations.Ateight,Rambertwasstillwaiting.Theyputonthelights.
