Ностромо
Chapter 7
“Onyourleftasyoulookforward,senor,”saidNostromo,suddenly.Whenhisvoiceceased,theenormousstillness,withoutlightorsound,seemedtoaffectDecoud’ssenseslikeapowerfuldrug.Hedidn’tevenknowattimeswhetherhewereasleeporawake.Likeamanlostinslumber,heheardnothing,hesawnothing.Evenhishandheldbeforehisfacedidnotexistforhiseyes.Thechangefromtheagitation,thepassionsandthedangers,fromthesightsandsoundsoftheshore,wassocompletethatitwouldhaveresembleddeathhaditnotbeenforthesurvivalofhisthoughts.Inthisforetasteofeternalpeacetheyfloatedvividandlight,likeunearthlycleardreamsofearthlythingsthatmayhauntthesoulsfreedbydeathfromthemistyatmosphereofregretsandhopes.Decoudshookhimself,shudderedabit,thoughtheairthatdriftedpasthimwaswarm.Hehadthestrangestsensationofhissoulhavingjustreturnedintohisbodyfromthecircumambientdarknessinwhichland,sea,sky,themountains,andtherockswereasiftheyhadnotbeen.
Nostromo’svoicewasspeaking,thoughhe,atthetiller,wasalsoasifhewerenot.“Haveyoubeenasleep,DonMartin?Caramba!IfitwerepossibleIwouldthinkthatI,too,havedozedoff.Ihaveastrangenotionsomehowofhavingdreamtthattherewasasoundofblubbering,asoundasorrowingmancouldmake,somewherenearthisboat.Somethingbetweenasighandasob.”
“Strange!”mutteredDecoud,stretcheduponthepileoftreasureboxescoveredbymanytarpaulins.
