Чума
Part II
"Ijustwantedtoaskifyoucouldn’tgivemeacertificatestatingthatIdonothavethisblasteddisease.Ithinkitcouldbeusefultome."
Rieuxnodded,caughtholdofalittleboywhohadcollidedwithhislegsandgentlystoodhimbackonhisfeet.Theycarriedonasfarastheparade-ground.Thebranchesoffigtreesandpalmshungmotionless,greywithdust,aroundastatueoftheRepublic,dirtyandgrimed.Theystoppedunderthismonument.Rieuxstampedhisshoes,whichwerecoveredwithawhitishfilm,oneafteranotherontheground.HelookedatRambert.Withhisfelthatpushedalittlebackonhishead,hisshirtcollarunbuttonedunderhistie,andbadlyshaved,thejournalistlookedmoroseandstubborn.
"Believeme,Iunderstandyou,"Rieuxsaidatlength."Butyou’vegotitwrong.Ican’tgiveyousuchacertificatebecauseIdonotinfactknowifyouhavethediseaseandbecause,evenifIdid,IcouldnotguaranteethatbetweenthemomentwhenyouleftmysurgeryandtheonewhenyouenteredthePrefecture,youwouldnotbeinfected.Andevenif…"
"Andevenif?"askedRambert.
"EvenifIdidgiveyouthiscertificate,itwouldbeofnousetoyou."
"Why?"
"Becausetherearethousandsofmeninthistowninyoursituationandtheycannotbeallowedtoleave."
"Butwhatiftheythemselvesdon’thavetheplague?"
"That’snotagoodenoughreason.
