Чума
Part I
Rieuxgotthevagueideathatitwassomethingaboutthedevelopmentofapersonality.ButthecivilservantwasalreadyleavingandwalkingbrisklyuptheBoulevarddelaMarne,betweenthefigtrees.OnthethresholdofthelabCottardtoldthedoctorthathewouldliketoseehimtoaskhisadvice.Rieux,whowasfingeringthepageofstatisticsinhispocket,invitedhimtocometohisconsulting-room,thenchangedhismindandsaidthathewouldbeinCottard’sneighbourhoodthenextdayandwoulddropintoseehiminthelateafternoon.
AfterleavingCottardthedoctornoticedthathewasthinkingaboutGrand.Hewasimagininghiminthemidstofaplague,notthisonewhichwoulddoubtlessnotproveserious,butoneofthegreatplaguesofhistory."He’sthekindofmanwhoissparedinsuchcases."Herecalledhavingreadthattheplaguesparedthoseofweakconstitutionandmainlydestroyedthoseofarobustnature.Andthemorehethoughtabouthim,themorethedoctorconsideredthattherewasalittlemysterysurroundingthecivilservant.
Indeed,atfirstsightJosephGrandwasnothingmorethantheminorclerkattheHôteldeVillethatheappearedtobe.Tallandthin,hewasswampedbyhisclothes,alwayschoosingthemtoolargeunderthemistakenimpressionthatthiswouldgivehimmorewearoutofthem.Whilehestillhadmostofhisteethinthelowerjaw,hehadlostthoseintheupperone,sothathissmile,whichchieflyinvolvedraisingtheupperlip,gavehimacavernousmouth.
