Ностромо
Chapter 7
Atleast,thatiswhathethinkshimselfwithmorepridethansentiment.IamgladIhavemadefriendswithhim.Asacompanionheacquiresmoreimportancethanheeverhadasasortofminorgeniusinhisway—asanoriginalItaliansailorwhomIallowedtocomeininthesmallhoursandtalkfamiliarlytotheeditorofthePorvenirwhilethepaperwasgoingthroughthepress.Anditiscurioustohavemetamanforwhomthevalueoflifeseemstoconsistinpersonalprestige.
“Iamwaitingforhimherenow.OnarrivingattheposadakeptbyViolawefoundthechildrenalonedownbelow,andtheoldGenoeseshoutedtohiscountrymantogoandfetchthedoctor.Otherwisewewouldhavegoneontothewharf,whereitappearsCaptainMitchellwithsomevolunteerEuropeansandafewpickedCargadoresareloadingthelighterwiththesilverthatmustbesavedfromMontero’sclutchesinordertobeusedforMontero’sdefeat.Nostromogallopedfuriouslybacktowardsthetown.Hehasbeenlonggonealready.Thisdelaygivesmetimetotalktoyou.Bythetimethispocket-bookreachesyourhandsmuchwillhavehappened.Butnowitisapauseunderthehoveringwingofdeathinthissilenthouseburiedintheblacknight,withthisdyingwoman,thetwochildrencrouchingwithoutasound,andthatoldmanwhomIcanhearthroughthethicknessofthewallpassingupanddownwithalightrubbingnoisenolouderthanamouse.AndI,theonlyotherwiththem,don’treallyknowwhethertocountmyselfwiththelivingorwiththedead.
