Чума
Part V
Thelinesthatfollowedwerehardtoreadand,asthoughtogiveanewproofofthisweakness,thelastwordswerethefirstthatwerepersonal:"Mymotherwaslikethat,Ilikedthesameself-effacementinherandsheistheoneIalwayswantedtobewith.Eightyearsago,Icannotsaythatshedied.Shesimplyfadedawayalittlemorethanusualand,whenIturnedround,shewasnolongerthere."
ButwemustreturntoCottard.SincethefigureshadstartedtofallhehadmadeseveralvisitstoRieux,onvariouspretexts.ButwhenitcamedowntoitwhathewantedeachtimewastoaskRieuxforhispredictionaboutthedevelopmentoftheepidemic."Doyouthinkitcanstopjustlikethat,suddenly,withoutwarning?"Hewasscepticalonthispoint,oratleastclaimedtobe.Butthefurtherquestionsthatheaskedseemedtoindicatelesssolidconvictions.Inmid-JanuaryRieuxhadansweredquiteoptimisticallyandoneveryoccasionthesereplies,insteadoffillingCottardwithjoy,hadproducedreactionswhichvariedfromdaytoday,butwhichrangedfrombadtempertodepression.Subsequently,thedoctorcametosaythatdespitethefavourablesignsinthestatistics,itwouldbebetternottoclaimvictoryyet.
"Inotherwords,"Cottardsaid,"wedon’tknowanything.Itmightresumefromonedaytothenext?"
"Yes,justasitispossiblethatthenumberofcureswillincrease."
Thisuncertainty,whicheveryonefounddisturbing,hadvisiblybeenarelieftoCottard.
