Алая чума

           IshallneverforgetmyfeelingsasIwalkeddownthesilentcorridorsandoutacrossthatdesertedcampus. Iwasnotafraid. Ihadbeenexposed,andIlookeduponmyselfasalreadydead. Itwasnotthat,butafeelingofawfuldepressionthatimpressedme. Everythinghadstopped. Itwasliketheendoftheworldtome—myworld. Ihadbeenbornwithinsightandsoundoftheuniversity. Ithadbeenmypredestinedcareer. Myfatherhadbeenaprofessortherebeforeme,andhisfatherbeforehim. Foracenturyandahalfhadthisuniversity,likeasplendidmachine,beenrunningsteadilyon. Andnow,inaninstant,ithadstopped. Itwaslikeseeingthesacredflamediedownonsomethrice-sacredaltar. Iwasshocked,unutterablyshocked. 

           “WhenIarrivedhome,myhousekeeperscreamedasIentered,andfledaway. AndwhenIrang,Ifoundthehousemaidhadlikewisefled. Iinvestigated. InthekitchenIfoundthecookonthepointofdeparture. Butshescreamed,too,andinherhastedroppedasuitcaseofherpersonalbelongingsandranoutofthehouseandacrossthegrounds,stillscreaming. Icanhearherscreamtothisday. Yousee,wedidnotactinthiswaywhenordinarydiseasessmoteus. Wewerealwayscalmoversuchthings,andsentforthedoctorsandnurseswhoknewjustwhattodo. Butthiswasdifferent. Itstrucksosuddenly,andkilledsoswiftly,andnevermissedastroke. Whenthescarletrashappearedonaperson’sface,thatpersonwasmarkedbydeath. Therewasneveraknowncaseofarecovery.