Чума
Part V
Andheheldherinbotharms,pressingherheadtohim,seeingonlythefamiliarhair,andlettinghistearsflowwithoutknowingiftheycamefromhispresenthappinessorfromapaintoolongrepressed,butsureatleastthattheywouldpreventhimfromverifyingifthisfaceburiedintothehollowofhisshoulderwastheoneaboutwhichhehadsolongdreamedorratherthatofastranger.Laterhewouldfindoutifhissuspicionwastrue.Forthetimebeing,hewantedtodowhatallthosearoundhimweredoing,apparentlybelievingthattheplaguecancomeandgowithouttheheartsofmenbeingchanged.
Pressedoneagainsttheothertheyallreturnedhome,blindtotherestoftheworld,apparentlytriumphingovertheplague,forgetfulofmiseryandofthosewhohadalsoarrivedbythesametrainbuthadfoundnooneandwerepreparingintheirhomestohaveconfirmationoffearsalreadybornintheirheartsoutofalongsilence.Forthem,theoneswhonowhadonlytheirbrandnewsorrowforcompanion,andforotherswhowereatthatmomentcontemplatingthememoryofalostlovedone,thingswereverydifferentandthefeelingofseparationhadreacheditspeak.Forsuchpeople,mothers,husbands,wivesandlovers,whohadlostallhappinesswiththebeingwhowasnowburiedinsomeanonymouspitorhaddissolvedintoapileofashes,theplaguewasstillthere.
