Чума
Part II
Afteramoment,hesighed.
"It’sanoldstory",heagreed,"whichtheydredgedup.Ithoughtitwasallforgotten,butsomeonetalked.Theycalledmeinandtoldmetoremainavailableuntiltheinquirywasover.Irealizedthat,intheend,theywouldarrestme."
"Isitserious?"Tarrouasked.
"Dependswhatyoumean.It’snotamurder,anyway."
"Prisonorforcedlabour?"
Cottardseemedverydowncast.
"Prison,ifI’mlucky."
Then,afterashortpause,hewentonemphatically:
"It’samistake.Everyonemakesmistakes.ButIcan’tstandtheideaofbeingtakeninforthat,separatedfrommyhome,mywayoflife,allthepeopleIknow…"
"Isee,"saidTarrou."Isthatwhyyouhadtheideaofhangingyourself?"
"Yes,asillyidea,ofcourse."
RieuxspokeforthefirsttimeandtoldCottardthathecouldunderstandhisanxiety,butthatperhapseverythingwouldworkout.
"Oh,forthetimebeing,IknowIhavenothingtofear."
"Iseethatyouarenotgoingtojoinourteams,"saidTarrou.
Theotherman,twistinghishatbetweenhishands,gavehimahesitantlook.
"Don’tholditagainstme."
"Certainlynot.Butatleast,"Tarrouaddedwithasmile,"trynottospreadthemicrobeknowingly.
