Чума
Part I
AfewdaysagoIdroppedaboxofchalksonthestairswhenIwasbringingithome.Therewereredchalksandblueones.AtthatmomentCottardcameoutontothelandingandhelpedmetopickthemup.HeaskedwhatIusedthesedifferentcolouredchalksfor."
SoGrandexplainedthathewastryingtoreviseabitofLatin:sinceheleftschoolhehadforgottenmuchofit.
"Yes,"hetoldthedoctor."PeoplehaveassuredmethatitisusefulforunderstandingFrenchwords."
SohewouldwriteLatinwordsonhisblackboard.Hecopiedoutinbluechalkthepartsofthewordsthatchangedaccordingtodeclensionorconjugationandinredchalkthepartthatneverchanged.
"Idon’tknowifCottardunderstoodreally,butheseemedinterestedandaskedifhecouldhavearedchalk.Iwasalittlesurprised,butthen…Ofcourse,Icouldn’tguessthathewoulduseitinthatway."
Rieuxaskedwhathadbeenthesubjectofthesecondconversation.Butthecommissionerarrived,withhissecretary,wantingtotakeGrand’sstatement.ThedoctornoticedthatGrand,whenspeakingofCottard,alwaysreferredtohimas"thedesperateman".Atonepointheevenusedtheexpression"fatalresolve".TheydiscussedhismotivesforwantingtocommitsuicideandGrandwasfussyabouttheformofwords.Theyfinallyagreedon"personalsorrows".ThecommissioneraskediftherehadbeenanythinginCottard’sattitudewhichcouldhaveindicatedwhathecalled"hisfixedintent".
