Чума
Part IV
Heturnedround,camealongsidehisfriendandswamwiththesamerhythm.Tarrouwasmovingforwardmorepowerfullythanhewasandhehadtospeedup.Forafewminutestheyswamonwithequalstokesandequalstrength,alone,farfromtheworld,finallyfreeofthetownandtheplague.Rieuxwasthefirsttostopswimmingandtheyreturnedslowly,exceptatonemomentwhentheycameintoanicycurrent.Withoutsayingaword,theybothspeededup,drivenonbythissurpriseinthesea.
Oncetheyhaddressedagaintheyleftwithoutsayingaword.Buttheirheartswereone,andthememoryofthatnightwassweetforbothofthem.Whenfromadistancetheysawthesentryoftheplague,RieuxknewthatTarrouwasthinking,aswashe,thatthesicknesshadjustforgottenthem,thatthiswasgood,butthatnowtheyhadtostartagain.
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Yes,theyhadtostartagain:theplagueforgotnoonefortoolong.DuringDecember,itflaredupinthechestsofthetownspeople,itlittheoven,itfilledthecampsofempty-handedshades,inshortitcontinuedtoadvancewithitspatient,jerkysteps.Theauthoritieshadcountedonthecoldweathertohaltitsadvance,butitcamethroughthefirstrigoursoftheseasonwithoutapause.Wehadtowait.Butthelongeryouwait,thelongeryouareabletowait,andourwholetownlivedwithoutafuture.
Asforthedoctor,thebriefinstantofpeaceandfriendshipthathadbeengrantedhimwasnotrepeated.
