Чума
Part II
Forthetimebeingtheywerenotyetunemployed,justonleave.Thismeantthat,forexample,atthreeintheafternoononasunnydayOrangavethedeceptiveimpressionofatownonholiday,inwhichthetraffichadbeenhaltedandtheshopsclosedtoallowapublicdemonstrationtomarchpast,andtheinhabitantshadpouredoutintothestreetstotakepartinthecelebrations.
Ofcoursethecinemastookadvantageofthisgeneralholidayanddidgoodbusiness.Butthecircuitsthatthefilmsfollowedinthedépartementwereinterrupted.Aftertwoweeks,thetheatreswereforcedtoswapprogrammes,and,afteracertainperiodoftime,thecinemasendedupalwaysshowingthesamefilm.However,theirtakingsdidnotfall.
Finally,thecafeswereabletocarryonsupplyingtheircustomersthankstotheconsiderablestockstheyhadputbyinatownwherewinesandspiritsareattheforefrontoftrade.Itmustbesaidthatpeopledrankalot.Afteronecafeputupanoticesayingthat"microbeshatethehonestgrape",theideathatalcoholprotectsyouagainstinfection—somethingthatthepublicalreadyfounditnaturaltobelieve—becamestillmorefirmlyanchoredintheirminds.Everynightaroundtwoo’clockquitealargenumberofdrunkardswerethrownoutofthecafestofillthestreets,wheretheydeliveredthemselvesofoptimisticopinions.
Butinonesenseallthesechangesweresoextraordinaryandhadhappenedsoquicklythatitwasnoteasytoconsiderthemasnormalandlasting.
