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Part IV
WhenRieuxarrivedthemotherandfatherwerestandingatthefootofthebed.Thelittlegirlhadbeensentoff.Thechildwasinthephaseofexhaustionandallowedhimselftobeexaminedwithoutfuss.Whenthedoctorlookeduphemetthemagistrate’seyesandalsosawbehindhimthepalefaceofthemotherwhohadputahandkerchiefoverherfaceandwasfollowingthedoctor’smovementswithwide-openeyes.
"That’sit,isn’tit?"themagistratesaid,inacoldvoice.
"Yes,"Rieuxreplied,lookingbacktothechild.
Themother’seyeswidened,butstillshesaidnothing.Themagistratewasalsosilent;then,inalowvoice,hesaid:
"Well,doctor,wehavetodowhatwearerequiredtodo."
Rieuxavoidedtheeyesofthemother,whowasstillholdingahandkerchieftohermouth.
"Itwon’ttakelong,"hesaid,hesitantly,"ifImightuseyourphone?"
M.Othonsaidhewouldshowhimwhereitwas.Butthedoctorturnedtothemagistrate’swife:
"I’mverysorry.Youmustgetsomethingstogether.Youknowwhat’sneeded."
MmeOthonseemedstruckdumb.Shewasstaringattheground.
"Yes,"shesaid,nodding."I’lldothat."
BeforeheleftthemRieuxcouldnotstophimselfaskingthemiftheyneededanything.Thewomankeptlookingathiminsilence.Butthistimethemagistratelookedaway.
"No,"hesaid.
