Чума
Part IV
While,theplague…DoyouwanttoknowwhatIthink?Ithinkthey’remiserablebecausetheydon’tletthemselvesgo.AndIknowwhatI’mtalkingabout."
"Hedoesknowwhathe’stalkingabout,"Tarrouadded."HehasaclearassessmentofthecontradictionsintheinhabitantsofOran,who,whiletheyfeeladeepneedforwarmth,whichbringsthemtogether,atthesametimecannotsurrendertoitentirelybecauseofthesuspicionthatkeepsthemapart.Youknowverywellthatyoucannottrustyourneighbour,thatheisquitecapableofgivingyoutheplaguewithoutknowingitandtakingadvantageofyourloweredguardtoinfectyou.When,likeCottard,youhavespentyourdayslookingforpossiblepolicespiesineveryone,evenpeopleyoulikedbeingwith,youcanunderstandthefeeling.Onecanverywellsympathizewiththosepeoplewholivewiththeideathatfromonedaytothenexttheplaguemighttouchthemontheshoulderandthatitisperhapsgettingreadytodosojustasoneiscongratulatingoneselfonstillbeingsafeandsound.Asfarasonecanbe,Cottardisateaseinterror.Butbecausehehasfeltallthisbeforethem,Ithinkthathecannotreallyfeelhowcruelthisuncertaintyis.Inshort,withus,whohavenotyetdiedoftheplague,heisawarethathisfreedomandhislifeareonthebrinkofdestructionatanymoment.Butsincehehashimselflivedinterror,heconsidersitnormalthatothersshouldexperienceitintheirturn.Or,moreprecisely,terrorseemstohimalessheavyburdenthanifhewereallalone.
