Ностромо
Chapter 7
TheCaballerosovertheredidnotseemtohavetheslightestideaofwhattheyhadgivenhimtodo.Nostromo,asifaffectedbythegloomaround,seemednervouslyresentful.Decoudwassurprised.TheCapataz,indifferenttothosedangersthatseemedobvioustohiscompanion,allowedhimselftobecomescornfullyexasperatedbythedeadlynatureofthetrustput,asamatterofcourse,intohishands.Itwasmoredangerous,Nostromosaid,withalaughandacurse,thansendingamantogetthetreasurethatpeoplesaidwasguardedbydevilsandghostsinthedeepravinesofAzuera.“Senor,”hesaid,“wemustcatchthesteameratsea.Wemustkeepoutintheopenlookingforhertillwehaveeatenanddrunkallthathasbeenputonboardhere.Andifwemissherbysomemischance,wemustkeepawayfromthelandtillwegrowweak,andperhapsmad,anddie,anddriftdead,untiloneoranotherofthesteamersoftheCompaniacomesupontheboatwiththetwodeadmenwhohavesavedthetreasure.That,senor,istheonlywaytosaveit;for,don’tyousee?forustocometothelandanywhereinahundredmilesalongthiscoastwiththissilverinourpossessionistorunthenakedbreastagainstthepointofaknife.Thisthinghasbeengiventomelikeadeadlydisease.IfmendiscoveritIamdead,andyou,too,senor,sinceyouwouldcomewithme.Thereisenoughsilvertomakeawholeprovincerich,letaloneaseaboardpuebloinhabitedbythievesandvagabonds.
