In the story “the masque of the red death,” what is personified, or represented, by the uninvited guest?

Based on the passage, what is the most important thing in lauren's life right now?

Even the insistent cough of the woman next to him wasn't enough to draw his eyes away from the tiny type of the ancient book its pages were brittle and felt like they could crumble at the slightest disturbance he noticed the musty odor if each page as he carefully it over.

The story is about a postmaster who is trying to adapt to the new life in the village of ulapur. in what way is the postmaster's life different from his life in urban calcutta?