Ностромо
Chapter 6
”Hewavedhishandtowardsthesmallwater-colourhangingaloneuponthegreatbarewall.“ItisnolongeraParadiseofsnakes.Wehavebroughtmankindintoit,andwecannotturnourbacksuponthemtogoandbeginanewlifeelsewhere.”
Heconfrontedhiswifewithafirm,concentratedgaze,whichMrs.Gouldreturnedwithabraveassumptionoffearlessnessbeforeshewentout,closingthedoorgentlyafterher.
Incontrastwiththewhiteglaringroomthedimlylitcorredorhadarestfulmysteriousnessofaforestglade,suggestedbythestemsandtheleavesoftheplantsrangedalongthebalustradeoftheopenside.Inthestreaksoflightfallingthroughtheopendoorsofthereception-rooms,theblossoms,whiteandredandpalelilac,cameoutvividwiththebrillianceofflowersinastreamofsunshine;andMrs.Gould,passingon,hadthevividnessofafigureseenintheclearpatchesofsunthatchequerthegloomofopengladesinthewoods.Thestonesintheringsuponherhandpressedtoherforeheadglitteredinthelamplightabreastofthedoorofthesala.
“Who’sthere?”sheasked,inastartledvoice.“Isthatyou,Basilio?”Shelookedin,andsawMartinDecoudwalkingabout,withanairofhavinglostsomething,amongstthechairsandtables.
“Antoniahasforgottenherfaninhere,”saidDecoud,withastrangeairofdistraction;“soIenteredtosee.
