Чума
Part III
Indeed,fromthistimeonwards,povertyalwaystriumphedoverfear,totheextentthatworkwasalwayspaidaccordingtotheriskinvolved.Thehealthserviceswereabletodrawupalistofthoseseekingworkandassoonasavacancyoccurred,thefirstonthelistwereinformedand—assumingthattheyhadnotgonevacantthemselvesinthemeantime—didnotfailtoturnup.Inthisway,thePrefect,whohadlongrefusedtomakeuphismindaboutemployingthecondemned(todeath,orlife)forthiskindofwork,wasabletoavoidhavingrecoursetothem.Aslongasthereweremenunemployed,heconsideredthatsuchadecisioncouldwait.
So,forbetterorworse,uptotheendofAugust,thetownspeoplecouldbetakentotheirlastresting-place,ifnotdecently,atleastingoodenoughorderfortheauthoritiestofeelthattheywerecarryingouttheirdutieswithaclearconscience.Wemustjumpalittleaheadofeventstonotethestepsthathadfinallytobetaken.WhentheepidemiclevelledoutafterAugust,theaccumulatednumberofvictimswasfargreaterthanthecapacityofourlittlecemetery.Itwasallverywellknockingdownwallsandgivingthedeadanoutletintothesurroundingland,butsomethingelsehadtobedone,andsoon.Firstofall,theydecidedtoburythedeadatnight,whichsimplyallowedthemtodowithoutcertainformsandceremonies.Moreandmorebodiescouldbepiledupintheambulances.
