Чума
Part III
Andwhileintheearlyweekstheytendedtocomplainatonlyhavingshadowstodealwithwheretheirloveswereconcerned,theyrealizedlaterthattheseshadowscouldbecomestillmorefleshless,losingeventhedetailsofcolourthatmemorykeptofthem.Afterthislongperiodofseparation,theycouldnolongerimaginetheintimacythattheyhadsharednorhowabeinghadlivedbesidethem,onwhomatanymomenttheycouldplacetheirhands.
Fromthispointofview,theyhadenteredintotheverysystemoftheplaguewhichwasallthemoreefficientforbeingmediocre.Nooneamongusexperiencedanygreatfeelingsanymore,buteveryonehadbanalfeelings."It’stimeitended,"theysaid,because,inaperiodofpestilence,itisnormaltowishfortheendofcollectivesufferingandbecausetheyreallydidwantittoend.Butthewordswerespokenwithouttheangerorbitternessoftheearlydays,andonlywiththefewargumentsthatstillremainedcleartous,whichwerefeebleones.Thegreat,fiercesurgeoffeelingofthefirstweekshadgivenwaytoadejectionthatitwouldbewrongtoconfusewithresignation,butwhichwasdespitethatakindofprovisionalassent.
Thetownspeoplehadadapted,theyhadcometoheel,aspeoplesay,becausethatwasalltheycoulddo.Naturally,theystillhadanattitudeofmisfortuneandsuffering,buttheydidnotfeelitssting.DrRieux,forone,consideredthatthemisfortunelaypreciselyinthis,andthatthehabitofdespairwasworsethandespairitself.
