Чума
Part V
Theseweretheunfortunatesoftheplague,thosewhomitkilledwhenhopewashigh.ThiswasthecaseofJudgeOthon,whohadtobeevacuatedfromthequarantinecamp,andTarrousaidofhimthathehadnothadanyluck,thoughonecouldnottellifhewasthinkingthereoftheexaminingmagistrate’slifeorhisdeath.
But,onthewhole,theinfectionwasretreatingallalongthelineandthecommuniquésfromthePrefecture,whichatfirstgaverisetosometimidandsecrethopes,eventuallyconfirmedthepublicintheconvictionthatvictorywaswonandthatthediseasewasabandoningitsposition.Inreality,itwashardtodecidewhetherthiswasavictoryornot.Allonecoulddowastoobservethatthesicknessseemedtobegoingasithadarrived.Thestrategybeingusedagainstithadnotchanged;ithadbeenineffectiveyesterday,andnowitwasapparentlysuccessful.Onemerelyhadthefeelingthatthediseasehadexhausteditself,orperhapsthatitwasretiringafterachievingallitsobjectives.Inasense,itsrolewascompleted.
Nonetheless,onewouldhavesaidthatnothinghadchangedinthetown.Thestreets,stillsilentbyday,wereinvadedintheeveningsbythesamecrowd,nowpredominantlyinovercoatsandscarves.Thecinemasandcafesdidthesameamountofbusiness.Butwhenonelookedmoreclosely,onesawthatthefacesweremorerelaxedandoccasionallysmiled.Andthisbroughthomethefactthatbeforethisnooneusedtosmileinthestreet.
