Чума
Part II
Onemightsaythatthefirsteffectofthissuddenandbrutalattackofthediseasewastoforcethecitizensofourtowntoactasthoughtheyhadnoindividualfeelings.Inthefirsthoursofthedaywhenthedecreetookeffect,thePrefecturewasbesiegedbyacrowdofapplicantswho,onthephoneorface-to-facewiththetownofficials,wereexplainingsituationsthatwereallequallyinterestingandatthesametimeequallyimpossibletoconsider.Intruth,itwasseveraldaysbeforewerealizedthatwewereinanextremesituationandthatthewords"compromise","favour"and"exception"nolongerhadanymeaning.
Eventhefaintsatisfactionofwritingletterswasdeniedus.Ontheonehand,thetownwasnolongerlinkedtotherestofthecountrybytheusualmeansofcommunication,andontheother,anewdecreeforbadetheexchangeofanycorrespondence,topreventlettersfromtransmittingtheinfection.Atthebeginning,afewprivilegedpersonswereabletogetincontactwiththesentriesatthepostsonthegatesofthetownandpersuadethemtotakemessagesoutside.Thiswasintheearlydaysoftheepidemic,atatimewhentheguardsfounditnormaltogiveintocompassionateimpulses.Butafterashortwhile,whenthesesameguardshadbecomefullypersuadedofthegravityofthesituation,theyrefusedtotakeresponsibilityforanythingwhentheydidnotknowwhereitmightlead.
