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Part II
HehadnoticedMmeRieux’sphotographonthedeskandlookedatthedoctor.Rieuxrepliedthathiswifewasbeingtreatedelsewhere."Inasense",Grandsaid,"it’sapieceofluck."Thedoctorrepliedthatitcertainlywasandthattheywouldjusthavetohopethathiswifegotbetter.
"Ah!"Grandsaid."Iunderstand."
Then,forthefirsttimesinceRieuxhadknownhim,hebegantotalkfreely.Thoughhestillhadtohuntforhiswords,healmostalwaysmanagedtofindthem,asthoughhehadbeenthinkingaboutwhathewassayingforalongtime.
Hehadgotmarriedveryyoungtoayounggirlofpoorfamilyfromhisneighbourhood.Hehadeveninterruptedhisstudiesandtakenajobsothathecouldgetmarried.NeitherJeannenorheeverwentoutsidetheirpartoftown.Hewouldgoandseeherathome,andJeanne’sparentswouldlaughalittleatthissilent,awkwardsuitor.Herfatherwasarailwayworker.Whenhewasresting,youcouldalwaysseehimsittinginacornerbythewindow,thoughtful,watchingthecomingsandgoingsinthestreet,hishugehandsflatonhisthighs.Themotherwasalwaysbusyaroundthehouse,whereJeannewouldhelpher.ShewassotinythatGrandcouldnotseehercrossastreetwithoutfeelingafraidforher:atsuchtimes,thevehiclesseemeddisproportionatelylarge.OnedayJeannewaslookingwithwondermentatashopwindowdecoratedforChristmas.Sheturnedtohimandsaid:"Isn’titlovely!"Hesqueezedherhand.That’showtheydecidedtomarry.
