Chapter 27 Chapter 26

Although the residents did not expect the epidemic to weaken suddenly, they dare not be too happy.Over the past few months, they have increasingly hoped to get rid of the plague, but at the same time, they have also learned to be cautious, and have developed such a habit that they are less and less expecting to see the plague end in the short term .But everyone was talking about this new phenomenon, and in the depths of people's hearts there was a strong hope that they dared not express.Everything else is relegated to the back burner.It was a surprise that the statistics were down, and those who had just died of the plague were nothing by comparison.There are indications that although people are not openly looking forward to the "healthy age" immediately, they are secretly waiting.Since then, for example, citizens have been happy—albeit with outward appearances of indifference—to talk about how to rearrange their lives after the plague is over.

It was agreed that it was impossible to restore at once the comfortable conditions of life that existed before the plague, since it is easy to destroy and difficult to rebuild.People just thought that the food supply might improve so that at least the most pressing problems could be taken off the table.But the fact that these insignificant conversations were accompanied by an absurd hope sometimes made the townspeople feel wronged, and they hastened to say that, in any case, the plague would not end overnight. . Sure enough, the plague did not cease to spread quickly, but on the face of it, it abated more quickly than would normally be reasonably expected.In early January, the severe cold persists, which is rare.The cold air seemed to have condensed over the city.But the sky has never been so blue.Over the past few days, the city has been bathed in brilliant but unwarmed sunshine.This fresh air weakened the epidemic for three consecutive weeks, and the number of people who died of the epidemic became smaller and smaller, and the plague god seemed to be exhausted.In a short period the plague lost almost all the force it had accumulated over many months.Take Grand, or the girl mentioned above, who were chosen as its victims, but they escaped its clutches, and there are still a few such examples; it is often rampant in certain districts now Two or three days, while at the same time disappearing in other districts; on Monday it claimed more lives than usual, but on Wednesday it let nearly all of its patients escape.Seeing it sometimes panting and sometimes rushing forward, people will say that it has collapsed due to restlessness and boredom, not only the all-powerful power and precision strike ability of the previous period have disappeared , Even the control over oneself is gone forever.Castel's serum gained a series of curative effects at once, which had never been done before.In the past, all kinds of measures taken by doctors have never been effective, but now they are all tried and tested.It was as if the plague were also under siege, as if its sudden weakening had sharpened the dull weapons hitherto used against it.Sometimes, however, the plague reasserted itself, and in a sort of blind exhilaration took the lives of three or four patients whom there had been hope for recovery.They were the unlucky ones in this catastrophe, the victims of the plague in this hopeful hour.Such was the case with Mr. Othon, the magistrate, when he had to be removed from the isolation camp.Tarrou said he had had bad luck, but it was not known whether Tarrou meant the judge's death or his bad luck while he was alive.

But from the overall situation, the epidemic situation is retreating across the board.The provincial communiqués first hinted at a glimmer of hope and finally confirmed to the public the confidence that victory was secured and that the plague was giving up its ground.In fact, it's hard to call it a victory.It's just that people can't help but feel that the plague seems to go as suddenly as it came.The strategies people use to deal with it have not changed. Yesterday they were ineffective, but today they seem to be suitable.One only gets the impression that the plague has exhausted itself, or, perhaps, that it has retreated of its own accord after having achieved its goal.In short, it can be said that its mission has been completed.

However, nothing seems to have changed in the city.During the day, the streets were as quiet as ever, but at night they were filled with the same crowds, most of them wearing coats and scarves.Movie theaters and cafes are booming as ever.But if you look closely, you will notice that the faces are more cheerful than before, and sometimes there is a smile.It reminds one: before this, no one had ever smiled on the street.In fact, a crack has opened in the opaque curtain that has bound the city tight for months, and every Monday, from the radio news, one can see that the crack is widening until it will be as large as Can make people breathe.However, people only breathed a sigh of relief quietly, and did not dare to express their joy obviously.If there were news that a train had left the station, or a ship had arrived at the port, or that cars would be allowed to pass through the city again, no one would believe it casually, but if the above news When it's announced in mid-January, that won't surprise anyone.Of course, this change is nothing special.But these subtle differences, in fact, show that the citizens have taken great strides on the road of hope, and we can say that when a glimmer of hope was lit in the hearts of the citizens, from then on, the plague began to spread. The period of rampage is practically over.

However, throughout January, their reactions to external events were still very contradictory.Rather, they were in a state of alternating excitement and depression.Despite the encouraging results of the epidemic statistics, there have been several recent attempts to escape, which has taken the authorities by surprise, and even the guard posts guarding the city gates were unprepared, because most of the escapes were successful. .But in fact, at this time, the fleeing person is dominated by some naturally occurring emotions.For some of those who had fled, the plague had sown so deeply a seed of doubt in their hearts that they could not shake it off, and they had lost all hope.Although the period of plague was over, they continued to live by the norms of the period.They are some people who are behind the times.Others, on the contrary, are mostly those who have been separated from their loved ones until now, and after a long period of confinement and depression, the wind of hope that is blowing now makes them lose Patience makes them too excited to control themselves.When they think that the day of reunion with their sweetheart is already in sight, but they are afraid that the success will fall short and they will die first. Not only will the reunion come to naught, but even the long-term suffering will be in vain. At this moment, they can't help feeling anxious.During these months, despite their captivity and exile, they had doggedly waited, and now a glimmer of hope had appeared that destroyed what fear and despair could not.They couldn't wait for the plague to be over, and rushed forward like madmen to stay ahead of it.

However, there are also some natural signs of optimism.For example, people find that prices have dropped significantly.From a purely economic point of view, this phenomenon cannot be explained.All kinds of difficulties have not diminished, the procedures of isolation and quarantine at the gate of the city are still maintained, and the food supply is far from improving.Therefore, this phenomenon is entirely caused by spiritual factors, as if the weakening of the epidemic has a reaction everywhere.At the same time there was optimism among those who had been accustomed to living together in the past but had to separate themselves because of the plague.The two monasteries in the city were re-opened, so communal life resumed.The same is true of soldiers.They were recalled to empty barracks and resumed normal troop life.These things are small, but very telling.

Until the twenty-fifth of January the townspeople lived in this state of secret excitement.This week, the statistics dropped considerably, and after consultation with the Medical Council, the province declared the plague to be considered over.Moreover, the communiqué added, as a matter of prudence—which would surely have the approval of the townspeople—the gates of the city would remain closed for another two weeks, and the precautionary measures maintained for another month.During this period, as soon as signs of a resurgence of the plague were found, "the status quo must be maintained and relevant measures reintroduced."But everyone regarded these supplementary instructions as red tape, and on the evening of January 25, the town erupted in jubilation.In order to match this cheerful atmosphere, the governor ordered the normal lighting to be restored.Under the clear and cold sky, the residents, chattering and laughing and clamoring, flocked to the brightly lit avenue.

Of course, many houses still have their shutters closed.On this same day and night, it can be said that several families are happy and some are sad.But among those in mourning, many also felt a great sense of relief that they no longer had to worry about seeing other relatives die, or trembling for their own preservation.At this very moment, there are families with a plague patient in the hospital, and the whole family is either in isolation wards or staying at home, waiting for the day when this disaster will actually leave them, as it has now left everyone else like that.These families are undoubtedly the least destined for the current happy situation.Of course, they also have hope, but they store it in their hearts, and they will never take it out before they are really sure.For them, this waiting between dying and joy, this silent night, seemed all the more cruel against the jubilant atmosphere all around.

However, these exceptional circumstances did not affect the satisfaction of the rest.Of course, the plague is not over, and it will prove itself to be.But everyone's thoughts are already ahead of time, several weeks in advance, it seems that the train whistles and speeds along the endless railroad tracks, and the ship breaks through the waves on the glistening sea.If another day passes, everyone's minds may no longer be so hot, and doubts may arise again.But now it seems that the whole city is moving, leaving the place where it once laid its stone foundations, leaving these isolated, eerie, and still places, and finally taking the survivors of this disaster. .That evening Tarrou, Rieux, Rambert, and some others moved about in the crowd, and they also felt a sense of euphoria.Long after Tarrou and Rieux had left the boulevard, even as they walked silently along the deserted streets from house to house with closed shutters, this sound of joy reached their ears. side.Pain continued to torment behind the shutters, while joy abounded in the streets not far from these houses.Because they are so tired, they cannot separate this pain from this joy.The moment of liberation looms, but it is one that is filled with laughter and tears at the same time.

Tarrou paused when the merry din grew louder.On the dark road, there was a dark figure running briskly.It turned out to be a cat, the first kitten people had seen since spring.It stopped in the middle of the road, hesitated for a while, licked its paw, quickly scratched its right ear with the paw, then ran quietly again, and finally disappeared into the night.Tarrou smiled.The little old man would be delighted too.