Чума
Part V
Someofthetravellerscomingintothetownwerenotentirelyrelievedoftheirmisgivings,becausealthoughtheyknewbroadlythefateofthosewhowereclosesttothem,theyknewnothingoftherestandofthetownitself,whichtheyimaginedwouldlookquitefearsome.Butthiswasonlytrueofthosewhohadnotbeenburningwithpassionthroughoutthisperiodoftime.
Thepassionateweretakenupwiththeiridéefixe.Onlyonethinghadchangedforthem:thistimewhich,duringthemonthsoftheirexile,theywouldhavelikedtopushforwardsothatitwouldgofasterandwhichtheywerestilldeterminedtospeedup,evenwhentheywerealreadyinsightofthetown;then,assoonasthetrainbegantobrake,beforestopping,theywantedonthecontrarytoslowtimedownandholditinsuspension.Thefeeling,atoncevagueandacuteinthem,ofallthosemonthsoflifelosttotheirlove,madetheminsomeconfusedwaydemandasortofcompensationthroughwhichthetimeofjoywouldhavepassedatonlyhalfthespeedofthetimeofwaiting.Andthosewhowereexpectingthem,inaroomorontheplatform(likeRambert,whosewife,hehadbeeninformedweeksinadvance,haddonewhatevershecouldtogethere),wereinthesamestateofimpatienceandturmoil.BecauseRambertwaswaitinginfearandtremblingtoconfrontthisloveoraffectionthatthemonthsofplaguehadreducedtoanabstractionandtoconfrontitwiththeflesh-and-bloodbeingwhohadbeenhissupportthroughthattime.
