Part III

           So,weekin,weekout,theprisonersoftheplaguestruggledalongasbesttheycould.Aswehaveseen,afew,likeRambert,evenmanagedtoimaginethattheywereactingasfreemenandthattheycouldstillchoose.Butinrealityonecouldsay,atthatmoment,inthemiddleofAugust,thattheplaguehadcoveredeverything.Therewerenolongeranyindividualdestinies,butacollectivehistorythatwastheplague,andfeelingssharedbyall.Thegreatestofthesewerefeelingsofseparationandexile,withallthatthatinvolvedoffearandrebellion.Thisiswhythenarratorfeelsitappropriate,atthishighpointofheatandsickness,todescribethegeneralsituationand,forthesakeofexamples,theviolenceofourlivingfellow-citizens,theburialsofthedeadandthesufferingofpartedlovers.

           Itwasinthemiddleofthatyearthatthewindroseandblewforseveraldaysontheplague-riddentown.TheinhabitantsofOranhaveaparticulardreadofthewindbecauseitencountersnonaturalobstacleontheplateauwherethetownliesandconsequentlysweepsalongthestreetswithfullforce.Afterthoselongmonthsinwhichnotadropofwaterhadrefreshedthetown,itwascoveredbyagreycoatingwhichpeeledoffwhenthewindblewonit.Inthisway,itraisedcloudsofdustandpapers,whichwrappedaroundthelegsofwhathadbecomerarepassers-by.Onesawthemhastendownthestreet,bentforward,withahandkerchieforahandacrosstheirmouths.