Чума
Part V
InthefirstdaysofJanuary,thecoldsetinwithunaccustomedpersistenceandseemedtocrystallizeabovethetown.Yettheskyhadneverbeensoblue.Forwholedaysonend,itsimmutableandicysplendourbathedourtownwithuninterruptedlight.Inthispurifiedair,theplague,insuccessivefallsoverthreeweeks,seemedtobeplayingitselfoutinthesmallerandsmallerlinesofcorpsesthatitproduced.Inashortspaceoftimeitlostalmostallthestrengththatithadtakenmonthstobuildup.Whenonesawitmissclearlydesignatedprey,suchasGrandorRieux’syoungwoman,getworseinsomedistrictsfortwoorthreedayswhileitvanishedentirelyfromothers,increasethenumberofitsvictimsonMonday,thenonWednesdayletalmostallofthemescape…seeingitinthiswayslipbackexhaustedorrushforward,onecouldhavethoughtthatitwasfallingapartwithwearinessandirritationandthatitwaslosingnotonlyitscontroloveritself,butthesovereign,mathematicalefficiencythathadbeenitsstrength.Castel’sserumsuddenlyachievedastringofsuccessesithadnotpreviouslyachieved.Allthemeasurestakenbythedoctors,whichhadpreviouslyproducednobeneficialresult,seemedsuddenlytobeeffective.Itappearedthattheplagueinitsturnhadbeentrickedandthatitssuddenweaknesshadgivenstrengthtothepreviouslybluntweaponsusedagainstit.Fromtimetotime,though,thediseasestiffenedand,inasortofblindthrust,carriedoffthreeorfourpatientswhowereexpectedtorecover.
