Чума
Part IV
Rieuxadvisedhimtokeepquietandtoldhimhewouldcomeback.Thesickmangaveastrangesmileand,withit,alookalmostoftendernessrosetohisface."IfIgetthroughthis,hatsofftoyou,doctor!"Immediatelyaftersayingthishefellbackinastateofprostration.
AfewhourslaterRieuxandTarroufoundhimhalf-seatedinhisbed,andRieuxwashorrifiedtoseeonhisfacetheprogressofthediseasethatwaseatinghimup.Butheseemedmorelucidandatonce,inastrangelyhollowvoice,askedthemtobringhimthemanuscriptfromoneofhisdrawers.Tarrougavehimthepageswhichhegraspedwithoutlookingatthem,thenhandedthemtothedoctor,gesturingtohimtoreadthem.Itwasashortmanuscriptofsomefiftypages.Thedoctorleafedthroughitandrealizedthatallthesepagescontainedonlythesamesentence,copiedoutoverandover,reworkedtomakeitricherorpoorer.Ceaselessly,themonthofMay,theeleganthorsewomanandtheavenuesoftheBoisdeBoulogneweremadeandremadeindifferentways.Theworkalsocontainedexplanations,sometimesexcessivelylong,anddifferentversions.Butattheendofthelastpage,ininkthatwasstillfresh,astudioushandhadwrittensimply:"MydearestJeanne,todayisChristmas…"Aboveit,meticulouslyinscribed,wasthelatestversionofthesentence."Readit,"saidGrand.AndRieuxread:
"OnafinemorninginthemonthofMay,anelegantwomanwasridingamagnificentsorrelmare,amidtheflowers,downtheavenuesoftheBoisdeBoulogne.
