Ностромо

           “IsitmyfaultthatIamtheonlymanfortheirpurposes?Whatangrynonsenseareyoutalking,mother?Wouldyouratherhavemetimidandfoolish,sellingwater-melonsonthemarket-placeorrowingaboatforpassengersalongtheharbour,likeasoftNeapolitanwithoutcourageorreputation?Wouldyouhaveayoungmanlivelikeamonk?Idonotbelieveit.Wouldyouwantamonkforyoureldestgirl?Lethergrow.Whatareyouafraidof?YouhavebeenangrywithmeforeverythingIdidforyears;eversinceyoufirstspoketome,insecretfromoldGiorgio,aboutyourLinda.Husbandtooneandbrothertotheother,didyousay?Well,whynot!Ilikethelittleones,andamanmustmarrysometime.Buteversincethattimeyouhavebeenmakinglittleofmetoeveryone.Why?DidyouthinkyoucouldputacollarandchainonmeasifIwereoneofthewatch-dogstheykeepoverthereintherailwayyards?Lookhere,Padrona,Iamthesamemanwhocameashoreoneeveningandsatdowninthethatchedrancheyoulivedinatthattimeontheothersideofthetownandtoldyouallabouthimself.Youwerenotunjusttomethen.Whathashappenedsince?Iamnolongeraninsignificantyouth.Agoodname,Giorgiosays,isatreasure,Padrona.”

           “Theyhaveturnedyourheadwiththeirpraises,”gaspedthesickwoman.“Theyhavebeenpayingyouwithwords.Yourfollyshallbetrayyouintopoverty,misery,starvation.Theveryleperosshalllaughatyou—thegreatCapataz.”

           Nostromostoodforatimeasifstruckdumb.