Чума
Part I
However,beforedescribingtheseneweventsindetail,thenarratorfeelsthatitwouldbehelpfultogivetheviewsofanotherwitnessoftheperiodwhichhasjustbeendescribed.JeanTarrou,whomwehavealreadymetatthestartofthisaccount,hadsettledinOranafewweeksearlierandhadsincebeenlivinginalargehotelinthecentre.Apparently,hewaswellenoughofftoliveonaprivateincome.Buteventhoughthetownhadgraduallybecomeaccustomedtohim,noonecouldtellwherehecamefromorwhyhewasthere.Peopleranintohiminallthepublicplacesaroundtown.Sincethestartofspring,hehadbeenseenalotonthebeach,oftenswimmingwithobviouspleasure.Pleasant,alwayssmiling,heseemedtoenjoyallnormalpleasureswithoutbeingenslavedbythem.Asamatteroffact,theonlyhabithewasknowntohavewasthatheregularlyspenttimewiththeSpanishdancersandmusicians,ofwhomtherearequiteafewinourtown.
Inanycase,hisnotebooksalsoconstituteasortofchronicleofthatdifficultperiod—thoughthisisaveryparticulartypeofchronicleinthatitseemstoadoptadeliberatepolicyofinsignificance.AtfirstsightyoumightthinkthatTarrouhadgoneoutofhiswaytoviewpeopleandthingsthroughthelargeendofthetelescope.Inshort,inthemidstofthisgeneralconfusion,hedeterminedtobecomethehistorianofthatwhichhasnohistory.Ofcourseonemaydeplorethisbiasandsuspectthatitderivesfromsomedrynessofheart.
