Чума
Part V
Hewouldliketohaveagainbecomethemanwhoatthestartoftheepidemicwantedtoleapinasingleboundoutofthetownandrushtomeettheoneheloved.Butheknewthatthatwasnotpossible.Hehadchanged,theplaguehadintroducedintohimadetachmentthathetriedwithallhisstrengthtodeny,butwhichnonethelessenduredinhimlikeadullpain.Inasensehehadthefeelingthatithadendedtoosuddenly;hedidnothimselfhavesuchcomposure.Happinessarrivedatfullspeed,eventsovertookexpectations.Rambertrealizedthateverythingwouldbegivenbacktohiminasinglemomentandthatjoyisasearingemotionthatcannotbesavoured.
Moreover,everyonewas—moreorlessconsciously—likehimandwemustspeakofeveryone.Onthisstationplatformwheretheywereresumingtheirpersonallifetheystillfeltasenseofcommunityastheyexchangedlooksandsmilesbetweenthemselves.But,assoonastheysawthetrainsmoke,theirfeelingofexilewassuddenlyextinguishedbeneathadownpourofconfusedandbewilderingjoy.Whenthetrainstopped,interminableseparations,whichhadstartedonthissamestationplatform,endedhereinasecond,inthemomentwhenarmsclosedwithexultantgreedaroundbodieswhoselivingformtheyhadforgotten.Rambert,forhispart,didnothavethetimetolookattheshaperunningtowardshimuntilitwasalreadycrashingagainsthischest.
