Чума
Part V
Intruth,arenthadjustappearedintheopaqueveilthathadformanymonthssurroundedthetown;andeveryMonday,everybodycouldgatherfromtheradionewsbulletinsthatthegapwasgettingwiderandthattheywouldfinallybeabletobreathe.Theconsolationwasstillonlyanegativeone,withnopracticalconsequences.Butwhereaspreviouslypeoplewouldhavelearnedwithsomeincredulitythatatrainhadleftoraboatarrived,oreventhatcarswereoncemoregoingtobeallowedtodrivearound,theannouncementoftheseeventsinmid-Januarywouldnothavecausedanysurprise.Nodoubtitwasnotmuch.Butthisslightdifferenceinfactreflectedthevastdistancethatourtownspeoplehadmovedinthedirectionofhope.Andyoucouldsaythatassoonasitbecamepossibleforpeopletohavethetiniestscrapofhope,theeffectivereignoftheplaguewasover.
Thefactremains,however,thatthroughoutthemonthofJanuaryourfellow-citizensreactedincontradictoryways,veeringfromexcitementtodepression.Sonewattemptsatescapewererecorded,attheverymomentwhenthestatisticsweremostfavourable.Theauthoritieswereverysurprisedbythis—aswerethesentryposts,apparently,sincemostoftheescapessucceeded.Butinpointoffactthosewhoescapedatthismomentobeyednaturalfeelings.Insomepeople,theplaguehadembeddedsuchdeepscepticismthattheycouldnotgetridofit,sotherewasnolongeranywhereforhopetoattachitselfinthem.
