Part 5: Chapter 4 Summary

The tale is being told now by our narrator, no longer by Tarrou's diary. The gates are opened and the trains are running. There is jubilation and reunion. Rambert has mixed feelings about seeing his wife, who is coming by train. He is aware of the drastic changes that have taken place in him as the result of his experience with the plague. He has gone from intense longing to be with this woman to a state that comes close to indifference. However, he believes that once reunion is a reality, happiness will be immediate. His feelings reflect those of many others in his position. All grasp the long-absent loved ones to their breasts and return to their homes, oblivious to those who are arriving by train with no one to greet them. For those, the plague has not ended.

The...