Чума
Part V
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AtthatmomentRieuxsawGrandcomingtowardshim.Grandknewnothingeither.Hehadbeenpreventedfromgoingpastandhadlearnedthattheshotswerecomingfromhishouse.Infact,inthedistancetheycouldseethefrontofthehousegildedbythelast,coolraysofthesun.Arounditwasawideopenspacewhichextendedtothepavementopposite.Inthemiddleoftheroadonecouldclearlyseeahatandascrapofdirtymaterial.Alongwayoff,ontheothersideofthestreet,RieuxandGrandcouldseealineofgendarmes,liketheonethathadpreventedthemfromgoingonandbehindwhichafewinhabitantsoftheareawerequicklypassingbackwardsandforwards.Iftheylookedcloselytheycouldalsoseegendarmesholdingrevolvers,concealedinthedoorwaysofbuildingsacrossthestreetfromthehouse.Allitsshutterswereclosed,butonthesecondflooroneseemedtobehalfhangingoff.Thesilenceinthestreetwastotal.Theonlysoundsonecouldhearwereintermittentburstsofmusicfromthecentreoftown.
Allatonce,fromoneofthebuildingsacrossfromthehouse,tworevolvershotsrangoutandsplintersflewfromthebrokenshutter.Thentherewassilenceagain.Atthisdistance,aftertheuproaroftheday,thewholethingseemedtoRieuxslightlyunreal.
"That’sCottard’swindow,"saidGrand,suddenlyveryupset."ButCottardhasdisappeared."
"Whyaretheyfiring?"Rieuxaskedthegendarme.
"They’rekeepinghimdistracted.
