Чума
Part I
"Youmustunderstand.Theymightsaythatthedoctorwasresponsible.Imean,supposeyoutookitintoyourheadtotryagain."
ButCottard,betweenhissobs,saidthathewouldnottryagain,thatithadjustbeenamomentofpanicandthatallhewantedwastobeleftinpeace.Rieuxwroteoutaprescription.
"Verywell,"hesaid."Let’sleaveitandI’llcomebackintwoorthreedays.Butdon’tdoanythingstupid."
OutsideonthelandinghetoldGrandthathewasobligedtomakeareport,butthathewouldaskthepolicecommissionernottostarthisenquiryforacoupleofdays.
"Heshouldn’tbeleftalonetonight.Doeshehaveanyfamily?"
"NonethatIknowof.ButIcanstaywithhimmyself."
Heshookhishead.
"Mindyou,he’sanotherthatIcan’treallysayIknow.Butwemusthelponeanother."
Automatically,RieuxlookedintothedarkcornersofthecorridorsandaskedGrandiftheratshadentirelyvanishedfromthearea.Thecivilservanthadnoidea.Certainlypeoplehadspokenagooddealaboutthebusiness,buthepaidverylittleattentiontorumoursintheneighbourhood.
"Ihaveotherconcerns,"hesaid.
Rieuxwasalreadyshakinghishand.Hewasinahurrytoseetheconciergebeforewritingtohiswife.
Thevendorsoftheeveningpaperswereshoutingthattheinvasionofratshadended.
