Чума
Part III
Theyneededtheunexpectedboonoffeelingthepangsofundirectedjealousy.Othersalsoexperiencedsuddenrevivalsandwouldemergefromtheirtorporoncertaindaysoftheweek—onSunday,ofcourse,andSaturdayafternoon—becausethosedayshadbeendevotedtocertainritualswhentheywerestillwiththeabsentone.Orotherwiseacertainmelancholythattookholdofthemattheendofthedaywouldgivewarning(notalwayscorrectly,asithappened)thatmemorywasabouttoreturn.Thattimeintheevening,whichforbelieversistheoccasionforanexaminationofconscience,ishardfortheprisonerortheexilewhohasonlythevoidtoexamine.Itheldthemforamomentinsuspense;thentheyreturnedtoinsensibilityandlockedthemselvesupintheplague.
Itisalreadyunderstoodthatthisconsistedofgivingupwhatwasmostpersonaltothem.Whileintheearlydaysoftheplaguetheywerestruckbythenumberofsmallthingsthatmeantagreatdealtothem,thoughtheyhadnosignificancetoothers,andtheythushadalimitedoutlookonlife,now,onthecontrary,theyhadonlythemostgeneralideasandtheirloveitselfhadtakenonthemostabstractappearanceforthem.Theyweresofarabandonedtotheplaguethattheymightsometimesevenhopefornothingmorethanthesleepofplagueandcatchthemselvesthinking:"Let’shavethebubosandbedonewithit!"Butintruththeywerealreadysleepingandthiswholetimewasnothingmorethanalongsleep.
