Чума
Part II
Alongtimebeforethesermon,peopleinthetownweretalkingaboutitand,initsway,itmarkedanimportantdateinthehistoryofthattime.
Theweekofprayerwasobservedbymany.ItisnotthatordinarilythepeopleofOranareespeciallypious.OnSundaymornings,forexample,seabathingoffersseriouscompetitiontochurch-going.Norwasitthecasethattheyhadseenthelightinasuddenconversion.But,ontheonehand,withthetownclosedandtheportbarred,itwasnolongerpossibletobathe;and,ontheother,theywereinaratheroddstateofmindwhere,withouthavingfullyacceptedinthemselvesthesurprisingeventsinwhichtheywerecaughtup,theydidobviouslybelievethatsomethinghadchanged.However,manystillhopedthattheepidemicwouldendandthattheyandtheirfamilieswouldbespared.Asaresult,theydidnotyetfeelanysenseofobligation.Forthemtheplaguewasonlyanunpleasantvisitorwhichwouldleaveonedayasithadentered.Theywerescaredbutnotdesperateandthetimehadyettocomewhentheplaguewouldseemtothemliketheveryshapeoftheirlivesandwhentheywouldforgettheexistencethattheyhadledinthedaysbefore.Inshort,theywereneitherherenorthere.Asforreligion,likeseveralotherproblems,theplaguehadputtheminapeculiarstateofmind,asfarremovedfromindifferenceasfrompassion,whichmightquitewellhavebeendefinedbytheword"objectivity".
