Чума

           Wiveswouldseizehimbythewristandscream:"Doctor,givehimlife!"Buthewasnottheretogivelife,hewastheretoorderisolation.Whatusethenwasthehatredthathecouldreadonpeople’sfaces?"Youhavenoheart,"someoneoncetoldhim.Buthedidhaveone.Heusedittobearthetwentyhoursadayinwhichhesawmendyingwhoweremadeforlife.Heusedittostartagaindayafterday.Forthetimebeing,hehadjustenoughheartforthat.Howcouldhishearthavebeenbigenoughtogivelife?

           No,itwasnothelpthathehandedoutthroughtheday,butinformation.Ofcourse,youcouldn’tcallthataman’sjob.Butwhenall’ssaidanddone,whointhisterrorized,decimatedmasswasfreetoexerciseaman’sjob?Thankgoodness,atleast,thathewastired.IfRieuxhadbeenmorealert,thissmellofdeatheverywheremighthavemadehimsentimental.Butthereisnoroomforsentimentalitywhenyouhaveonlysleptforfourhours.Youseethingsastheyare,thatistosayinthelightofjustice—ghastlyandridiculousjustice.Andthoseothers,thecondemned,alsofeelit.Beforetheplague,hewasgreetedlikeasaviour.Hewouldfixeverythingwiththreepillsandahypodermic,sotheysqueezedhisarmandledhimalongcorridors.Thiswasflattering,butdangerous.Now,onthecontrary,hewouldappearwithsoldiersanditwouldtakesomeblowswiththebuttofariflebeforethefamilywouldagreetoletthemin.Theywouldliketohavedraggedhimandtohavedraggedallhumankindwiththemintodeath.