Ностромо
Chapter 7
No,senor;thereisnoresttillwefindanorth-boundsteamer,orelsesomeshipfindsusdriftingaboutstretchedoutdeadupontheEnglishman’ssilver.Orrather—no;porDios!Ishallcutdownthegunwalewiththeaxerighttothewater’sedgebeforethirstandhungerrobmeofmystrength.ByallthesaintsanddevilsIshalllettheseahavethetreasureratherthangiveituptoanystranger.SinceitwasthegoodpleasureoftheCaballerostosendmeoffonsuchanerrand,theyshalllearnIamjustthemantheytakemefor.”
Decoudlayonthesilverboxespanting.Allhisactivesensationsandfeelingsfromasfarbackashecouldrememberseemedtohimthemaddestofdreams.EvenhispassionatedevotiontoAntoniaintowhichhehadworkedhimselfupoutofthedepthsofhisscepticismhadlostallappearanceofreality.Foramomenthewasthepreyofanextremelylanguidbutnotunpleasantindifference.
“Iamsuretheydidn’tmeanyoutotakesuchadesperateviewofthisaffair,”hesaid.
“Whatwasit,then?Ajoke?”snarledtheman,whoonthepay-sheetsoftheO.S.N.Company’sestablishmentinSulacowasdescribedas“Foremanofthewharf”againstthefigureofhiswages.“Wasitforajoketheywokemeupfrommysleepaftertwodaysofstreetfightingtomakemestakemylifeuponabadcard?Everybodyknows,too,thatIamnotaluckygambler.
