Чума
Part I
Hewasareserved,silentman,abitlikeawildboar.Hisroom,aplainrestaurant,somerathermysteriousoutings…thatwasthewholeofCottard’slife.Officially,hewasasalesman,inwinesandspirits.Occasionally,hewouldhaveavisitfromtwoorthreemen,whomustbehiscustomers.Sometimesintheeveninghewouldgotothecinema,whichwasoppositethehouse.TheclerkhadevennoticedthatCottardseemedtoprefergangsterfilms.Inanyevent,thesalesmanwassolitaryandsuspicious.
AccordingtoGrand,allthishadchanged:
"Idon’tknowhowtoputit,butIhavetheimpression,yousee,thatheistryingtogetontherightsideofpeople,thathewantstohaveeveryonesupportinghim.Heoftentalkstome,heinvitesmetogooutwithhimandI’mnotalwaysabletorefuse.Inanycase,heinterestsmeand,afterall,Ididsavehislife."
SincehissuicideattemptCottardhadnothadanymorevisits.Inthestreets,inshops,heappealedforsympathy.Noonehadeverspokensokindlytogrocersorshownsuchinterestwhenlisteningtoatobacconist.
"Thattobacconist,"Grandadded."She’sarealsnake.IsaidasmuchtoCottard,buthetoldmethatIwaswrongandthatshehadgoodqualitiesifyouknewwheretolookforthem."
TwoorthreetimesCottardhadalsotakenGrandintoexpensiverestaurantsorcafesintown.Infact,hehadstartedtovisittheseplacesregularly.
"It’snicethere,"hewouldsay.
