Чума
Part III
Therelativesgotintooneofthetaxisstillallowedtooperateandthecarsheadedforthecemeteryatfullspeed,takingaroutethatavoidedthetowncentre.Atthegatetheconvoywashaltedbygendarmeswhostampedanofficialpass,withoutwhichitwasimpossibletohavewhatourtownsfolkcalleda"lasthome",thenthegendarmessteppedbackandthecarspulledupbesideasquarewhereanumberofgraveswerewaitingtobefilled.Apriestmetthepartybecausefuneralservicesinchurchhadbeenbanned.Thecoffinwasbroughtouttotheaccompanimentofprayers,ropeswereplacedaroundit,itwasdraggedalong,slipped,hitthebottomofthegrave.Thepriestshooktheholywateroveritandalreadythefirstclodsofearthwerecrashingagainstthelid.Theambulancehadleftashorttimebeforetobewasheddownwithdisinfectantand,whiletheshovelfulsofclaygaveoffanincreasinglydullsound,thefamilypiledbackintothetaxi.Aquarterofanhourlatertheywerebackhome.
Inthiswayeverythingreallyhappenedwiththegreatestspeedandtheminimumofrisk.Andneedlesstosay,atleastatthestart,itisclearthatthenaturalfeelingsoftherelativeswereoffended.Butintimeofplague,theseareconsiderationswhichcannotconcernus:everythingwassacrificedtoefficiency.
