Ностромо
Chapter 5
Senores,theGodofyourGeneralisabottle!”
Hiscontemptuous,arbitraryvoicecausedanuneasysuspensionofeverysound,asiftheself-confidenceofthegatheringhadbeenstaggeredbyablow.ButnobodytookupFatherCorbelan’sdeclaration.
ItwasknownthatFatherCorbelanhadcomeoutofthewildstoadvocatethesacredrightsoftheChurchwiththesamefanaticalfearlessnesswithwhichhehadgonepreachingtobloodthirstysavages,devoidofhumancompassionorworshipofanykind.RumoursoflegendaryproportionstoldofhissuccessesasamissionarybeyondtheeyeofChristianmen.HehadbaptizedwholenationsofIndians,livingwiththemlikeasavagehimself.ItwasrelatedthatthepadreusedtoridewithhisIndiansfordays,halfnaked,carryingabullock-hideshield,and,nodoubt,alonglance,too—whoknows?Thathehadwanderedclothedinskins,seekingforproselytessomewherenearthesnowlineoftheCordillera.OftheseexploitsPadreCorbelanhimselfwasneverknowntotalk.ButhemadenosecretofhisopinionthatthepoliticiansofSta.MartahadharderheartsandmorecorruptmindsthantheheathentowhomhehadcarriedthewordofGod.HisinjudiciouszealforthetemporalwelfareoftheChurchwasdamagingtheRibieristcause.ItwascommonknowledgethathehadrefusedtobemadetitularbishopoftheOccidentaldiocesetilljusticewasdonetoadespoiledChurch.
