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           "

           "We’llfindout,"saidTarrou,patiently."Whenwe’vetriedeverything."

           MeanwhileRieuxwasathisdeskcopyingsomefigures.Tarrouwasstilllookingatthemanofmeans,whowasshiftingaboutonhischair.

           "Whydon’tyoujoinus,MonsieurCottard?"

           Cottardgotuplookingoffendedandpickeduphisroundhat.

           "It’snotmyjob."

           Then,withatoneofbravado:

           "Inanycase,thisplagueisdoingmeafavour,soIdon’tseewhyIshouldbeinvolvedingettingridofit."

           Tarroustruckhisforehead,asthoughsuddenlyrealizingsomething:

           "Ofcourse,I’mforgetting;youwouldbearrestedotherwise."

           Cottardstartedandgrabbedthechairasifabouttofallover.Rieuxhadstoppedwritingandwaslookingathiminasolemn,interestedway.

           "Whotoldyouthat?"saidthemanofmeans.

           Tarrouseemedsurprisedandsaid:

           "Youdid.Or,atleast,that’swhatthedoctorandIthoughtyoumeant."

           And,whileCottardstammeredoutanincomprehensiblestreamofwords,suddenlyovercomebyanuncontrollablefitofrage,Tarrouadded:

           "Don’tgetexcited.NeitherthedoctornorIwilldenounceyou.Yourbackgrounddoesn’tconcernus.Andthen,we’venevermuchlikedthepolice.Comenow,sitdown."

           Themanofmeanslookedathischair,hesitatedandsatdown.