Чума
Part II
Thepreviousnight,whenhismotherhandedhimatelegramfromtheyoungerMmeRieux,shehadpointedoutthatthedoctor’shandswereshaking.
"Yes,"hesaid."ButifIpersevere,Ishallbelessnervous."
Hewashealthyandtough.Really,hewasnotyettired,buthishousevisits,forexample,werebecomingunbearable.Diagnosingtheinfectionmeantquicklyremovingthepatient.Andherethedifficultyandtheabstractionbeganbecausethefamilyknewthattheywouldnotseethepatientagainuntilheorshewascuredordead."Havepity,doctor!"saidMmeLoret,motherofthechambermaidwhoworkedatTarrou’shotel.Whatdidthatmean?Ofcoursehehadpity.Butwheredidthatgetanyone?Hehadtotelephone.Thenthesirenoftheambulancesounded.Intheearlydays,theneighbourswouldopentheirwindowsandlookout.Later,theyhurriedlyclosedthem.Thenbeganstruggles,tears,pleas,inshort,abstraction.Intheseapartments,overheatedbyfeverandanguish,scenesofmadnesswereplayedout.Butthesickpersonwastakenaway.Rieuxcouldgo.
Onthefirstfewoccasionshehadmerelyrungfortheambulance,thenspedofftowardsotherpatientswithoutwaitingforittoarrive.Butthentherelativeslockedtheirdoors,preferringatête-à-têtewiththeplaguetoaseparation—knowingnowwhatthatmeant.Shouts,orders,thearrivalofthepolice,then,later,ofthearmy,andthepatientwasseizedbyforce.IntheearlyweeksRieuxwasobligedtowaituntiltheambulancecame.
