Чума
Part II
AcloudfellacrosstheendofthefirstmonthofthediseasebecauseofamarkedaggravationoftheepidemicandanimpassionedsermonbyFatherPaneloux,theJesuitpriestwhohadministeredtooldMichelatthestartofhisillness.FatherPanelouxhadpreviouslydistinguishedhimselfbyhisfrequentcontributionstothebulletinoftheGeographicalSocietyofOran,withhisauthoritativereconstructionsofepigraphs.Buthehadreachedawideraudiencethanthatofamerespecialistwithaseriesoflecturesthathegaveonmodernindividualism.HerehehadwarmlydefendedademandingformofChristianitywhichrejectedbothmodernliberalismandtheobscurantismofpreviouscenturies.Intheselectureshehadnotsparedhislistenerssomehardtruths.Hencehisreputation.
Then,attheendofthissamemonth,theecclesiasticalauthoritiesofthetowndecidedtowagewarontheplaguebytheirownmeans,byorganizingaweekofcollectiveprayer.ThisdemonstrationofpublicpietywastoendontheSundaywithasolemnmassundertheauspicesofSaintRoch,thesaintwhowasavictimofplague.FatherPanelouxwasaskedtopreachontheoccasion.FortheprecedingfortnighthehadtornhimselfawayfromhisworkonSaintAugustineandtheAfricanChurchwhichhadwonhimaspecialplaceinhisorder.Amanoffieryandpassionatetemperament,hehadresolutelyacceptedthemissionwithwhichhewasentrusted.
