plague

 

Rieux's asthma patient, remarking about Tarrou's death, notes that it seems the best always die. The patient notes the odd pride that some of the town residents take in having survived the plague. They will honor the dead with a memorial before returning to their old lives and activities as if nothing happened. When Rieux watches the public rejoice at the end of their exile, he is forced to agree with him. For that reason, he decided to bear witness to the plague victims. The plague has drawn him to the conclusion that there is more to praise than despise in humans. He acknowledges that the bacillus microbe can lie dormant for years, and he notes that for that reason the chronicle does not record a final victory by any means.

 

Albert Camus