Ностромо
Chapter 5
Doyouthinkhesucceededbyhisfidelitytoatheoryofvirtue?Andallthoserailwaypeople,withtheirhonestwork!Ofcourse,theirworkishonest!Butwhatifyoucannotworkhonestlytillthethievesaresatisfied?Couldhenot,agentleman,havetoldthisSirJohnwhat’s-his-namethatMonterohadtobeboughtoff—heandallhisNegroLiberalshangingontohisgold-lacedsleeve?Heoughttohavebeenboughtoffwithhisownstupidweightofgold—hisweightofgold,Itellyou,boots,sabre,spurs,cockedhat,andall.”
Sheshookherheadslightly.“Itwasimpossible,”shemurmured.
“Hewantedthewholelot?What?”
Shewasfacinghimnowinthedeeprecessofthewindow,verycloseandmotionless.Herlipsmovedrapidly.Decoud,leaninghisbackagainstthewall,listenedwithcrossedarmsandloweredeyelids.Hedrankthetonesofherevenvoice,andwatchedtheagitatedlifeofherthroat,asifwavesofemotionhadrunfromherhearttopassoutintotheairinherreasonablewords.Healsohadhisaspirations,heaspiredtocarryherawayoutofthesedeadlyfutilitiesofpronunciamientosandreforms.Allthiswaswrong—utterlywrong;butshefascinatedhim,andsometimesthesheersagacityofaphrasewouldbreakthecharm,replacethefascinationbyasuddenunwillingthrillofinterest.Somewomenhovered,asitwere,onthethresholdofgenius,hereflected.Theydidnotwanttoknow,orthink,orunderstand.
