Ностромо
Chapter 5
DecoudandAntoniaremainedleaningoverthebalcony,sidebyside,touchingelbows,withtheirheadsoverhangingthedarknessofthestreet,andthebrilliantlylightedsalaattheirbacks.Thiswasatete-a-teteofextremeimpropriety;somethingofwhichinthewholeextentoftheRepubliconlytheextraordinaryAntoniacouldbecapable—thepoor,motherlessgirl,neveraccompanied,withacarelessfather,whohadthoughtonlyofmakingherlearned.EvenDecoudhimselfseemedtofeelthatthiswasasmuchashecouldexpectofhavinghertohimselftill—tilltherevolutionwasoverandhecouldcarryherofftoEurope,awayfromtheendlessnessofcivilstrife,whosefollyseemedevenhardertobearthanitsignominy.AfteroneMonterotherewouldbeanother,thelawlessnessofapopulaceofallcoloursandraces,barbarism,irremediabletyranny.AsthegreatLiberatorBolivarhadsaidinthebitternessofhisspirit,“Americaisungovernable.Thosewhoworkedforherindependencehaveploughedthesea.”Hedidnotcare,hedeclaredboldly;heseizedeveryopportunitytotellherthatthoughshehadmanagedtomakeaBlancojournalistofhim,hewasnopatriot.Firstofall,thewordhadnosenseforculturedminds,towhomthenarrownessofeverybeliefisodious;andsecondly,inconnectionwiththeeverlastingtroublesofthisunhappycountryitwashopelesslybesmirched;ithadbeenthecryofdarkbarbarism,thecloakoflawlessness,ofcrimes,ofrapacity,ofsimplethieving.
