Чума
Part II
Indeed,inashortwhile,whenitbecameobviousthatnoonewouldmanagetogetoutofthetown,wethoughttoaskifthosewhohadleftbeforethestartoftheepidemiccouldbeallowedtoreturn.Afterafewdays’consideration,thePrefecturerepliedintheaffirmative.Butitaddedthatthesereturneescouldnotunderanycircumstancesgobackoutofthetown,andthatwhiletheywerefreetocomein,theywouldnotbefreetoleaveagain.Hereagain,afewfamilies—thoughveryfew—tookanoptimisticviewofthesituationandinvitedtheirrelativestotakeadvantageofthisopportunity,sacrificingcautionintheirwishtobereunitedwiththem.Verysoon,however,thosewhowereprisonersoftheplaguerealizedthedangertowhichtheywereexposingtheirlovedonesandresignedthemselvestoenduringseparation.Attheworstpointintheepidemic,wesawonlyonecasewherehumanfeelingsprovedstrongerthanthefearofahorribledeath.Thiswasnot,asyoumightimagine,acaseoftwoyoungloversinducedtoputlovebeforesuffering.ItwasoldDrCastelandhiswife,whohadbeenmarriedformanyyears.Afewdaysbeforetheoutbreak,MmeCastelhadtravelledtoanearbytown.Theirswasnotevenoneofthosemarriageswhichoffertheworldapictureofexemplaryhappinessandthenarratorisinapositiontosaythatinallprobabilitythecouplehadnotuptothispointbeensurethattheywerehappyintheirrelationship.
