Чума
Part IV
Therewas,however,onemaninthetownwhoneverappearedexhaustedordiscouragedandremainedalivingimageofsatisfaction.ThiswasCottard.Hecontinuedtokeephimselftohimself,whilemaintaininghisrelationswithothers.ButhechosetoseeTarrouasoftenasTarrou’sworkpermitted,ontheonehandbecauseTarrouwaswellinformedabouthiscaseandontheother,becausehewouldwelcomethelittlemanofmeanswithconsistentcordiality.Itwasanever-endingmiracle,butTarrou,despitetheamountofworkthathedid,alwaysremainedfriendlyandconsiderate.Evenafterthoseeveningswhenhewasdroppingwithtiredness,bythenextdayhehadrecoverednewenergy."Youcantalkwiththatone,"CottardtoldRambert."Becausehe’saman.Healwaysunderstandsyou."
ThisiswhyTarrou’snotesatthisperiodmoreorlesscentreonthefigureofCottard.TarroutriedtogiveapictureofCottard’sreactionsandreflections,eitherastheywereconfidedtohimbythemanhimselforasheinterpretedthem.Undertheheading"Cottard’sRelationshipwiththePlague",thisportraitoccupiesafewpagesinthenotebookandthenarratorthinksitwouldbeusefultogiveanideaofithere.Tarrou’sgeneralopinionaboutthelittlemanofmeanscanbesummedupinthisopinion:"Heisamanwhoisgrowinginstature."Moreover,itappearsthathealsogrewingoodhumour.Hewasnotunhappywiththeturnofevents.
