Чума
Part III
Forobviousreasons,theplagueseemedtofastenparticularlyonallthosewhohadbecomeaccustomedtolivingingroups:soldiers,membersofreligiousordersorprisoners.Despitetheisolationofsomeinmates,aprisonisacommunity,andwhatprovesthisisthefactthatinourmunicipalprisonthewarderswereaslikelyastheprisonerstosuccumbtothedisease.Fromthehigherpointofviewadoptedbytheplague,everyone,fromtheprisongovernortotheleastoftheinmates,wascondemned,andperhapsforthefirsttimeabsolutejusticereignedinsidethejail.
Theauthoritiestriedinvaintointroduceahierarchyintothislevellingandhadtheideaofdecoratingprisonwarderswhohaddiedcarryingouttheirduties.Asastateofsiegehadbeendeclaredand,fromsomepointsofview,itmightbesaidthatprisonwarderswereonactiveservice,theywereawardedamilitarymedal,posthumously.Yet,whiletheprisonersraisednoobjection,themilitaryreactedbadlyandcorrectlypointedoutthatanunfortunateconfusionmightariseinthepublicmind.TheirobjectionwasacceptedanditwasdecidedthatthesimplestthingwastogivewarderswhodiedtheMedaloftheEpidemic.But,inthecaseofthefirstamongthem,theharmhadbeendoneandtherecouldbenoquestionoftakingawaytheirdecoration,thoughthemilitaryauthoritiescontinuedtopresstheirpointofview.
