Ностромо

           Shewaspractical,andheseemedtohertobeanabsurdspendthriftofthesequalitieswhichmadehimsovaluable.Hegottoolittleforthem.Hescatteredthemwithbothhandsamongsttoomanypeople,shethought.Helaidnomoneyby.Sherailedathispoverty,hisexploits,hisadventures,hislovesandhisreputation;butinherheartshehadnevergivenhimup,asthough,indeed,hehadbeenherson.

           Evennow,illasshewas,illenoughtofeelthechill,blackbreathoftheapproachingend,shehadwishedtoseehim.Itwaslikeputtingoutherbenumbedhandtoregainherhold.Butshehadpresumedtoomuchonherstrength.Shecouldnotcommandherthoughts;theyhadbecomedim,likehervision.Thewordsfalteredonherlips,andonlytheparamountanxietyanddesireofherlifeseemedtobetoostrongfordeath.

           TheCapatazsaid,“Ihaveheardthesethingsmanytimes.Youareunjust,butitdoesnothurtme.Onlynowyoudonotseemtohavemuchstrengthtotalk,andIhavebutlittletimetolisten.Iamengagedinaworkofverygreatmoment.”

           Shemadeanefforttoaskhimwhetheritwastruethathehadfoundtimetogoandfetchadoctorforher.Nostromonoddedaffirmatively.

           Shewaspleased:itrelievedhersufferingstoknowthatthemanhadcondescendedtodosomuchforthosewhoreallywantedhishelp.Itwasaproofofhisfriendship.Hervoicebecomestronger.

           “Iwantapriestmorethanadoctor,”shesaid,pathetically.