Чума
Part III
HeeventoldRieuxthat,whenallwassaidanddone,thiswaspreferabletohearsesdrivenbyblackslaveswhichonereadaboutinthechroniclesofearlierplagues.
"Yes,"Rieuxsaid."Theburialisthesame,butwekeepacardindex.Noonecandenythatwehavemadeprogress."
Despitethesesuccessesfortheauthorities,theunpleasantcharacterthattheformalitieshadnowtakenonforcedthePrefecturetokeeprelativesawayfromtheceremony.Theywereallowedtocometothegateofthecemetery—thougheventhatwasnotofficial,becausewherefuneraryriteswereconcerned,thingshadchangedabit.Atthefarendofthecemetery,inafeaturelessareacoveredinmastictrees,twohugepitshadbeendug.Therewasamen’sgraveandawomen’sgrave.Fromthispointofview,theauthoritiesrespectedconventionanditwasonlylaterwhenforceofcircumstancescausedeventhisvestigeofmodestytodisappearandmenandwomenwereburiedhaphazardly,oneontopoftheother,withnothoughtofdecency.Luckily,thisextremeconfusionaffectedonlythefinalmomentsofthepestilence.Atthetimewhichconcernsusnow,therewasaseparationofpitsandtheauthoritieswereverykeenonit.Atthebottomofeach,athicklayerofquicklimesmokedandboiled,whilearoundtheedgesoftheholeasmallmoundofthesamechemicalbubbledintheopenair.
