Чума
Part V
Ifhehasusedthem,itisonlytounderstandortomakeothersunderstandhisfellow-citizensandtogiveaform,aspreciseaspossible,towhatmostofthetime,theywerevaguelyfeeling.Totellthetruth,hefoundthiseffortofreasoningquiteundemanding.Whenhefelttemptedtoaddsomeconfidenceofhisowntothethousandsofvoicesofthevictims,hewaspreventedbythethoughtthattherewasnotoneofthosesufferingsthatwasnotatthesametimethatofothers,andthatinaworldwherepainissooftensolitary,thiswasanadvantage.Incontestably,hehadtospeakforall.
ButthereisoneofourfellowmenatleastforwhomDrRieuxcouldnotspeak.ThisistheoneaboutwhomTarrousaidonedaytoRieux:"Hisonlytruecrimeistohavegivenapprovalinhishearttosomethingthatkillsmen,womenandchildren.Iunderstandtherest,butthisissomethingforwhichIhavetoforgivehim."Itisrightthatthischronicleshouldendwiththeonewhoseheartwasignorant,whichistosayalone.
Whenhehadleftthelargeboulevards,noisywithcelebrations,andjustashewasturningintoGrandandCottard’sstreet,DrRieuxwashaltedbyalineofgendarmes.Thishehadnotexpected.Thedistantsoundsofmerrimentmadethisparticulardistrictseemsilentandheimagineditasdesertedasitwastranquil.Hetookouthiscard.
"Impossible,doctor,"saidthegendarme."There’samadmanfiringonthecrowd.Butstayhere,youmightbeneeded.
