Ностромо
Chapter 5
Hewassurprisedatthewarmthofhisownutterance.Hehadnoneedtodrophisvoice;ithadbeenlowallthetime,ameremurmurinthesilenceofdarkhouseswiththeirshuttersclosedearlyagainstthenightair,asisthecustomofSulaco.OnlythesalaoftheCasaGouldflungoutdefiantlytheblazeofitsfourwindows,thebrightappealoflightinthewholedumbobscurityofthestreet.Andthemurmuronthelittlebalconywentonafterashortpause.
“Butwearelabouringtochangeallthat,”Antoniaprotested.“Itisexactlywhatwedesire.Itisourobject.Itisthegreatcause.Andthewordyoudespisehasstoodalsoforsacrifice,forcourage,forconstancy,forsuffering.Papa,who—”
“Ploughingthesea,”interruptedDecoud,lookingdown.
Therewasbelowthesoundofhastyandponderousfootsteps.
“Youruncle,thegrand-vicarofthecathedral,hasjustturnedunderthegate,”observedDecoud.“HesaidMassforthetroopsinthePlazathismorning.Theyhadbuiltforhimanaltarofdrums,youknow.Andtheybroughtoutsideallthepaintedblockstotaketheair.Allthewoodensaintsstoodmilitarilyinarowatthetopofthegreatflightofsteps.TheylookedlikeagorgeousescortattendingtheVicar-General.IsawthegreatfunctionfromthewindowsofthePorvenir.Heisamazing,youruncle,thelastoftheCorbelans.Heglitteredexceedinglyinhisvestmentswithagreatcrimsonvelvetcrossdownhisback.
