Чума
Part IV
"
"Yes,certainly,youneedarest."
"That’snotit,Iwanttogobacktothecamp."
Rieuxwasastonished:"Butyou’vejustcomeout!"
"Ihaven’texplainedmyselfproperly.Iwastoldthattherewerevolunteersfromtheadministrationinthecamp."Themagistraterolledhiseyesalittleandtriedtoflattenatuftofhair."Yousee,itwouldgivemesomethingtodo.Andthen,thoughitmaysoundstupid,Iwouldfeellessseparatedfrommylittleboy."
Rieuxlookedathim.Itwasn’tpossiblethatsometenderfeelinghadenteredthosehard,flateyes.Buttheyhadbecomemoremistyandlosttheirmetallicpurity.
"Ofcourse,"hesaid."I’llseetoit,ifthat’sreallywhatyouwant."
Thedoctordid,indeed,takecareofitandthelifeoftheplague-riddentownresumeditscourseuntilChristmas.Tarroucontinuedtodisplayhisefficientcalmeverywhere.Rambertconfidedinthedoctorthathehadmanaged,throughthetwoyoungguards,tosetupasystemofclandestinecorrespondencewithhiswife.Hereceivedaletteroccasionally.HeinvitedRieuxtotakeadvantageofthesystemandthedoctoragreed.Hewroteforthefirsttimeformanylongmonths,butfounditextremelydifficult.Therewasalanguagethathehadforgotten.Theletterleft.Itwasalongtimebeforethereplycame.Forhispart,Cottardprosperedandhislittlespeculationsweremakinghimrich.
