Чума
Part IV
Becausethinkingaboutsomeonereallymeansthinkingaboutthatpersonminutebyminute,notbeingdistractedbyanything—nothousework,notaflypassing,notmeals,notanurgetoscratchoneself.Buttherearealwaysfliesanditches.Thisiswhylifeishardtolive.Andthesepeopleknowthatverywell."
Theadministrator,comingbacktowardsthem,toldthemthatM.Othonwasaskingtoseethem.HeledGonzalesintohisofficeandthentookthemtowardsacornerofthestandswhereOthon,whowassittingapartfromtherest,gotuptogreetthem.Hewasstilldressedinthesamewayandworethesamestiffcollar.Tarrouonlynoticedthatthetuftsofhairathistempleswerefarmorebristlyandthatoneofhisshoelaceswasundone.Themagistrateseemedtiredandnotoncedidhelookhisvisitorsdirectlyintheface.HesaidhewaspleasedtoseethemandthathebeggedthemtothankDrRieuxforwhathehaddone.
Theotherssaidnothing.
"Ihope",themagistratesaidafterawhile,"thatPhilippedidnotsuffertoomuch."
ThiswasthefirsttimethatTarrouhadheardhimcallhissonbyhisnameandunderstoodthatsomethinghadchanged.Thesunwassinkingbehindthehorizon,andbetweentwocloudsitsraysshonesidewaysintothestands,lightingtheirthreefaceswithgold.
"No,"Tarrousaid."No,hereallydidn’tsuffer."
Whentheyleftthemagistratewentonstaringinthedirectionofthesun.
