Чума
Part II
Therestofthestory,Grandsaid,wasverysimple.Thisishowitisforeveryone:yougetmarried,youstayinloveforalittlewhileandyouwork.Youworksomuchthatyouforgettolove.Jeanneworkedtoo,becausetheheadofhisdepartment’spromiseswerenotkept.HereittooksomeimaginationtograspwhatGrandmeant.Partlybecauseoftiredness,hehadlethimselfgo,hehadbecomemoreandmoresilentandhehadnotconvincedhisyoungwifethatshewasloved.Aworkingman,poverty,anarrowingofpossibilities,thesilenteveningsaroundthetable:thereisnoplaceforpassioninsuchauniverse.Jeannemustsurelyhavesuffered.Evenso,shestayed:onecansometimessufferforalongtimewithoutknowingit.Theyearswentby.Lateron,sheleft.Ofcourseshedidnotleavebyherself."Ihavebeenveryfondofyou,butnowIamtired…Iamnothappytogoaway,butonedoesnotneedtobehappytostartagain."That,broadlyspeaking,iswhatshewrotetohim.
JosephGrandsufferedinhisturn.Hecouldhavestartedagain,asRieuxpointedouttohim.But,yousee,hedidn’tbelieveinit.
Quitesimply,hestillthoughtabouther.Whathewouldhavelikedwastohavewrittenheraletterjustifyinghimself."Butit’shard,"hesaid."I’vebeenthinkingaboutitforalongtime.Aslongaswewereinlove,weunderstoodoneanotherwithoutwords.Butoneisnotalwaysinlove.AtacertainmomentIoughttohavefoundthewordsthatwouldhavekepther,butIcouldn’t.
