Ностромо
Chapter 7
“IwishIcouldseetheislands.”
InhisunskilfulnessDonMartinover-exertedhimself.Nowandthenasortofmuscularfaintnesswouldrunfromthetipsofhisachingfingersthrougheveryfibreofhisbody,andpassoffinaflushofheat.Hehadfought,talked,sufferedmentallyandphysically,exertinghismindandbodyforthelastforty-eighthourswithoutintermission.Hehadhadnorest,verylittlefood,nopauseinthestressofhisthoughtsandhisfeelings.EvenhisloveforAntonia,whencehedrewhisstrengthandhisinspiration,hadreachedthepointoftragictensionduringtheirhurriedinterviewbyDonJose’sbedside.Andnow,suddenly,hewasthrownoutofallthisintoadarkgulf,whoseverygloom,silence,andbreathlesspeaceaddedatormenttothenecessityforphysicalexertion.Heimaginedthelightersinkingtothebottomwithanextraordinaryshudderofdelight.“Iamonthevergeofdelirium,”hethought.Hemasteredthetremblingofallhislimbs,ofhisbreast,theinwardtremblingofallhisbodyexhaustedofitsnervousforce.
“Shallwerest,Capataz?”heproposedinacarelesstone.“Therearemanyhoursofnightyetbeforeus.”
“True.Itisbutamileorso,Isuppose.Restyourarms,senor,ifthatiswhatyoumean.Youwillfindnoothersortofrest,Icanpromiseyou,sinceyouletyourselfbeboundtothistreasurewhoselosswouldmakenopoormanpoorer.
