Чума
Part I
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"Inanycase,"theoldmansaid,inastateofgreatexcitement,"they’reexaggerating,aren’tthey,thosebigwigs?"
"Don’tbelieveanyofit,"saidthedoctor.
Hehadexaminedtheoldmanandwasnowsittinginthemiddleofthewretcheddining-room.Yes,hewasafraid.Heknewthatinthissamepartoftownadozenpatientswouldbewaitingforhimthenextday,bentdoubleovertheirswollenglands.Inonlytwoorthreecaseshadlancingthebubosbroughtaboutanimprovement.Butformostofthemitwouldbehospitalandheknewwhathospitalmeanttothepoor."Idon’twanthimtobeusedfortheirexperiments,"thewifeofonesickmanhadtoldhim.Hewouldnotbeusedfortheirexperiments,hewoulddieandthatwasall.Themeasuresthathadbeentakenwereinsufficient,thatwasquiteclear.Asforthe"speciallyequippedwards",heknewwhattheywere:twooutbuildingshastilyclearedofotherpatients,theirwindowssealedupandthewholesurroundedbyacordonsanitaire.Iftheepidemicdidnotstopofitsownaccord,itwouldnotbedefeatedbythemeasuresthatthelocaladministrationhaddreamedup.
However,thateveningtheofficialcommuniquéswerestilloptimistic.Thefollowingday,theInfodocagencyannouncedthatthestepstakenbythePrefecturehadbeenreceivedcalmlyandthatalreadysomethirtypatientshadreportedthemselves.CastelphonedRieux.
"Howmanybedsarethereintheoutbuildings?"
"Eighty.
