Чума
Part II
Theheadofthedepartmenttoldhimthatheunderstoodverywell,butthattherecouldbenoexceptions;hewouldsee,butthesituationwasseriousandnothingcouldbedecided.
"Afterall,"Rambertsaidtothedoctor,"I’mastrangerinthistown."
"Ofcourseyouare,butlet’sjusthopethattheepidemicwillnotlast."
Intheend,hetriedtoconsoleRambertbypointingoutthathecouldfindthematerialforaninterestingreportinOranandthat,allthingsconsidered,therewasnocloudwithoutasilverlining.Rambertshruggedhisshoulders.Theywerecomingtothecentreofthetown.
"Yousee,doctor,it’sridiculous.Iwasn’tputonthisearthtomakereports;butperhapsIwasputonearthtolivewithawoman.Doesn’tthatfollow?"
Rieuxsaidthattohimitseemedreasonable.
Ontheboulevardsinthecentretherewerenoneoftheusualcrowds.Afewpassers-byhurriedtowardstheirdistanthomes.Noneofthemwassmiling.RieuxthoughtitmustbebecausethiswasthedayfortheInfodocannouncement.Afteranothertwenty-fourhoursthetownspeoplewouldstarttohopeagain.Butonthedayitself,thefigureswerestilltoofreshintheirmemories.
"Thethingis,"Rambertsaid,withoutwarning,"sheandImetashorttimeagoandwegetonwell."
Rieuxsaidnothing.
"ButI’mboringyou,"Rambertwenton.
