Ностромо
Chapter 3
”
“WhatAntonia?”askedtheCostaguanaboulevardier,inavexedanddisdainfultone.Heshruggedhisshoulders,andspunroundonhisheel.Hissistercalledoutafterhimjoyously—
“TheAntoniayouusedtoknowwhensheworeherhairintwoplaitsdownherback.”
Hehadknownhersomeeightyearssince,shortlybeforetheAvellanoshadleftEuropeforgood,asatallgirlofsixteen,youthfullyaustere,andofacharacteralreadysoformedthatsheventuredtotreatslightinglyhisposeofdisabusedwisdom.Ononeoccasion,asthoughshehadlostallpatience,sheflewoutathimabouttheaimlessnessofhislifeandthelevityofhisopinions.Hewastwentythen,anonlyson,spoiledbyhisadoringfamily.Thisattackdisconcertedhimsogreatlythathehadfalteredinhisaffectationofamusedsuperioritybeforethatinsignificantchitofaschool-girl.ButtheimpressionleftwassostrongthateversinceallthegirlfriendsofhissistersrecalledtohimAntoniaAvellanosbysomefaintresemblance,orbythegreatforceofcontrast.Itwas,hetoldhimself,likearidiculousfatality.And,ofcourse,inthenewstheDecoudsreceivedregularlyfromCostaguana,thenameoftheirfriends,theAvellanos,croppedupfrequently—thearrestandtheabominabletreatmentoftheex-Minister,thedangersandhardshipsenduredbythefamily,itswithdrawalinpovertytoSulaco,thedeathofthemother.
TheMonteristpronunciamentohadtakenplacebeforeMartinDecoudreachedCostaguana.
