Чума
Part II
Theresultwasthatwecontinuedtogiveprioritytoourpersonalfeelings.
Comingoutofthehospital,twodaysaftertheclosureofthegates,DrRieuxmetCottardwhosefaceexpressedsomethingclosetosatisfaction.Rieuxcongratulatedhimonhowwellhewaslooking.
"Yes,I’mfine,"saidthelittleman."Tellme,doctor,thisconfoundedplague,huh?It’sstartingtogetserious."
Thedoctoragreed,andtheothermanremarkedwithasortofgenialcheerfulness:
"There’snoreasonforittostopnow.Everythingwillbeupsidedown."
Theywalkedalongtogetherforamoment.Cottarddescribedhowabiggrocerinhisdistricthadstockpiledsuppliessothathecouldsellthematalargeprofit,andtheyhadfoundtinsoffoodunderhisbedwhentheycametofetchhimandtakehimtothehospital."Hediedthere.Youcan’tbuyofftheplague."Cottardwasfullofstorieslikethat,trueorfalse,abouttheepidemic.Forexample,itwassaidthatinthecentreonemorningamanwithsymptomsofthediseaseandatthedeliriousstagehadrushedoutside,thrownhimselfonthefirstwomanhemetandembracedher,shoutingthathehadtheplague.
"Fine!"Cottardsaid,inapleasanttonethatwasnotatallinkeepingwithhiswords."We’llallgomad,that’sforsure."
Similarly,ontheafternoonofthesameday,JosephGrandeventuallyconfidedalittleinDrRieux.
