Чума
Part V
Andluckwaswhattheyneeded,becauseRieuxwasconfrontedwithanaspectoftheplaguethatdisconcertedhim.Oncemoreitwasdevisingwaysoffoilingthestrategiesadoptedagainstit,appearingwhereitwasleastexpectedanddisappearingjustwhereitseemedalreadywellsettled.Oncemore,itwasmakinganefforttoastound.
Tarrouwasstruggling,motionless.Notonceinthecourseofthenightdidhebecomeagitatedbytheassaultsofthedisease,fightingonlywithallhissolidityandhissilence.Butnotonce,either,didhespeak,thusadmittinginhisownwaythathecouldnotaffordtoloseconcentration.Rieuxfollowedthephasesofthestruggleonlyintheeyesofhisfriend,whichwerebyturnsopenorshut,theeyelidseithermoretightagainsttheglobeoftheeyeor,onthecontrary,relaxed,sothathisgazewasfixedonanobjectorbroughtbacktothedoctorandhismother.Everytimethedoctormetthislook,Tarrousmiledwithconsiderableeffort.
Atonetimetheyheardhurriedfootstepsinthestreet.Theyseemedtobefleeinginfrontofadistantrumblingthatgraduallyapproachedandeventuallyfilledthestreetwithitssoundofrunningwater:therainhadstartedagain,soonmixedwithhailthatclatteredonthepavements.Greatawningsflappedinfrontofthewindows.InthedarknessoftheroomRieux,momentarilydistractedbytherain,lookedbackatTarrou,whowaslitbyabedsidelamp.Hismotherwasknitting,raisingherheadfromtimetotimetolookcloselyatthesickman.
