Чума
Part III
Inthemiddleofthenight,throughthewholeoftherestofthesummerandbeneaththeautumnrains,onecouldseestrangeconvoysoftramswithoutpassengersproceedingdownthefront,rattlingalongabovethesea.Eventually,thepeoplediscoveredwhatwasgoingon;anddespitepatrolspreventinganyonefromreachingthepromenade,somegroupsdidquiteoftenmanagetogetamongtherocksrightabovetheseaandthrowflowersintothecarriagesasthetramswentpast.Onecouldhearthevehiclesstillbumpingalongonasummer’snight,ladenwithflowersandcorpses.
Bymorning,atleastintheearlydays,athick,foul-smellingvapourwouldbedriftingovertheeasternquarterofthetown.Alldoctorswereoftheopinionthattheseemissions,thoughunpleasant,couldnotharmanyone.Buttheinhabitantsofthosedistrictsimmediatelythreatenedtoevacuatethem,convincedthattheplaguewouldraindownontheirheadsfromthesky,somuchsothattheauthoritieswereforcedtoredirectthefumesbymeansofacomplicatedsystemofpiping;thentheinhabitantswerepacified.Onlyonverywindydayswouldavaguesmellfromtheeastremindthemthattheywerelivingunderaneworderandthattheflamesoftheplaguedevouredtheirsacrificeeveryevening.
Theseweretheextremeconsequencesoftheepidemic.Fortunately,itdidnotincreaseanyfurther,becauseonemayimaginethattheingenuityofouradministration,thetalentsofthePrefectureandeventhecapacityoftheovenmighthavebeenoverwhelmed.
