Чума
Part IV
Hewouldsometimessummarizehowhefeltinremarksofthefollowingsort:"Ofcourse,it’snotgettinganybetter,butatleasteveryoneisinthesameboat."
"Naturally,"Tarrouadded,"heisthreatenedjustaseveryoneelseis,butwhatmattersisthatheiswitheverybodyelse.AndthenIamsurethathedoesnotseriouslythinkthathemightbeinfected.Heappearstosurvivewiththeidea—whichisnotsuchafoolishone—thatamanwhoissufferingfromagreatillnessoragreatfearisautomaticallyrelievedofallotherillnessesoranxieties."Haveyounoticed,"heaskedme,"thatyoucannotaccumulateillnesses?Supposeyouhaveaseriousorincurabledisease,aseriouscanceroragoodboutofTB,youwillnevercatchplagueortyphus;it’simpossible.Moreover,itgoesfurtherthanthat,becauseyouneverseeacancervictimdieinacaraccident."Whetherthisnotionistrueorfalse,itputsCottardinagoodmood.Theonethingthathedoesnotwantistobeseparatedfromotherpeople.Hewouldratherbeundersiegewitheverybodythanaprisonerallalone.Withtheplaguegoingon,therearenomoresecretinvestigations,files,indexcards,mysteriousinstructionsandimminentarrest.Properlyspeaking,thereisnolongeranypolice,nomoreoldornewcrimes,nomoreguiltypeople;thereareonlythecondemnedawaitingthemostarbitraryreprieve—andthatincludesthepolicethemselves.
