Чума
Part V
ButCottardwasnotsmiling.Hewantedtoknowifonecouldimaginethattheplaguemightchangenothinginthetownandthateverythingwouldbeginagainasbefore,thatistosay,asthoughnothinghadhappened.Tarrouthoughtthattheplaguewouldandwouldnotchangethetown;that,ofcourse,thegreatestdesireofourfellow-citizenswasandwouldbetobehaveasthoughnothinghadhappened,andthat,consequently,inasensenothingwouldhavechanged;butthat,inanothersense,onecannotforgeteverything,withthebestwillintheworld,sotheplaguewouldleaveitsmark,atleastonpeople’shearts.Thelittlemanstatedquiteopenlythathewasnotinterestedintheheartandindeedthattheheartwasthelastthinghewasworriedabout.Whatdidinteresthimwastoknowifthewholeadministrationwouldbetransformedandif,forexample,alldepartmentswouldbeoperatingasinthepast.Tarrouhadtoadmitthathehadnoidea.Accordingtohim,itmustbeassumedthatallsuchdepartments,havingbeendisruptedbytheplague,wouldhavetroublestartingupagain.Onemustassume,too,thatahostofnewproblemswouldarise,makingnecessaryatleastareorganizationoftheoldadministration.
"Ah!"saidCottard."That’spossible.Everyonewillhavetostartagain."
ThetwomenhadcomeclosetoCottard’shouse.Hewasexcited,forcinghimselftobeoptimistic.Heimaginedthetownstartingtoliveagainfromzeroandwipingoutitspast.
"Good,"saidTarrou.
