Ностромо
Chapter 4
Throughthegaps,choppedoutintheoleanderhedges,theharbourbranchrailway,laidouttemporarilyontheleveloftheplain,curvedawayitsshiningparallelribbonsonabeltofscorchedandwitheredgrasswithinsixtyyardsoftheendofthehouse.IntheeveningtheemptymaterialtrainsofflatcarscircledroundthedarkgreengroveofSulaco,andran,undulatingslightlywithwhitejetsofsteam,overtheplaintowardstheCasaViola,ontheirwaytotherailwayyardsbytheharbour.TheItaliandriverssalutedhimfromthefoot-platewithraisedhand,whilethenegrobrakesmensatcarelesslyonthebrakes,lookingstraightforward,withtherimsoftheirbighatsflappinginthewind.InreturnGiorgiowouldgiveaslightsidewaysjerkofthehead,withoutunfoldinghisarms.
Onthismemorabledayoftheriothisarmswerenotfoldedonhischest.Hishandgraspedthebarrelofthegungroundedonthethreshold;hedidnotlookuponceatthewhitedomeofHiguerota,whosecoolpurityseemedtoholditselfalooffromahotearth.Hiseyesexaminedtheplaincuriously.Talltrailsofdustsubsidedhereandthere.Inaspecklessskythesunhungclearandblinding.Knotsofmenranheadlong;othersmadeastand;andtheirregularrattleoffirearmscameripplingtohisearsinthefiery,stillair.Singlefiguresonfootraceddesperately.Horsemengallopedtowardseachother,wheeledroundtogether,separatedatspeed.
