Ностромо
Chapter 7
TheywouldhavehadRibiera,too,iftheyhadnot,forsomereasonorother,turnedoffthetrackoftheoldCaminoReal,onlytolosetheirwayintheforestsatthefootofthelowerslopes.Andtheretheywereatlast,havingstumbledinunexpectedlyupontheconstructioncamp.TheengineerattherailheadtoldhischiefbywirethathehadPedroMonteroabsolutelythere,intheveryoffice,listeningtotheclicks.HewasgoingtotakepossessionofSulacointhenameoftheDemocracy.Hewasveryoverbearing.HismenslaughteredsomeoftheRailwayCompany’scattlewithoutaskingleave,andwenttoworkbroilingthemeatontheembers.Pedritomademanypointedinquiriesastothesilvermine,andwhathadbecomeoftheproductofthelastsixmonths’working.Hehadsaidperemptorily,“Askyourchiefuptherebywire,heoughttoknow;tellhimthatDonPedroMontero,ChiefoftheCampoandMinisteroftheInteriorofthenewGovernment,desirestobecorrectlyinformed.’
“Hehadhisfeetwrappedupinblood-stainedrags,alean,haggardface,raggedbeardandhair,andhadwalkedinlimping,withacrookedbranchofatreeforastaff.Hisfollowerswereperhapsinaworseplight,butapparentlytheyhadnotthrownawaytheirarms,and,atanyrate,notalltheirammunition.Theirleanfacesfilledthedoorandthewindowsofthetelegraphhut.
