Ностромо
Chapter 5
Passionstoodforallthat,andhewasreadytobelievethatsomestartlinglyprofoundremark,someappreciationofcharacter,orajudgmentuponanevent,borderedonthemiraculous.InthematureAntoniahecouldseewithanextraordinaryvividnesstheaustereschoolgirloftheearlierdays.Sheseducedhisattention;sometimeshecouldnotrestrainamurmurofassent;nowandthenheadvancedanobjectionquiteseriously.Graduallytheybegantoargue;thecurtainhalfhidthemfromthepeopleinthesala.
Outsideithadgrowndark.Fromthedeeptrenchofshadowbetweenthehouses,litupvaguelybytheglimmerofstreetlamps,ascendedtheeveningsilenceofSulaco;thesilenceofatownwithfewcarriages,ofunshodhorses,andasoftlysandalledpopulation.ThewindowsoftheCasaGouldflungtheirshiningparallelogramsuponthehouseoftheAvellanos.Nowandthenashuffleoffeetpassedbelowwiththepulsatingredglowofacigaretteatthefootofthewalls;andthenightair,asifcooledbythesnowsofHiguerota,refreshedtheirfaces.
“WeOccidentals,”saidMartinDecoud,usingtheusualtermtheprovincialsofSulacoappliedtothemselves,“havebeenalwaysdistinctandseparated.AslongasweholdCaytanothingcanreachus.Inallourtroublesnoarmyhasmarchedoverthosemountains.Arevolutioninthecentralprovincesisolatesusatonce.Lookhowcompleteitisnow!ThenewsofBarrios’movementwillbecabledtotheUnitedStates,andonlyinthatwaywillitreachSta.
