Ностромо

           Inperiodsofpoliticaladversity,inthepausesofsilencewhentherevolutionistsissuednoproclamations,Giorgioearnedhislivingwiththefirstworkthatcametohand—assailor,asdocklaboureronthequaysofGenoa,onceasahandonafarminthehillsaboveSpezzia—andinhissparetimehestudiedthethickvolume.Hecarrieditwithhimintobattles.Nowitwashisonlyreading,andinordernottobedeprivedofit(theprintwassmall)hehadconsentedtoacceptthepresentofapairofsilver-mountedspectaclesfromSenoraEmiliaGould,thewifeoftheEnglishmanwhomanagedthesilvermineinthemountainsthreeleaguesfromthetown.ShewastheonlyEnglishwomaninSulaco.

           GiorgioViolahadagreatconsiderationfortheEnglish.Thisfeeling,bornonthebattlefieldsofUruguay,wasfortyyearsoldattheveryleast.SeveralofthemhadpouredtheirbloodforthecauseoffreedominAmerica,andthefirsthehadeverknownherememberedbythenameofSamuel;hecommandedanegrocompanyunderGaribaldi,duringthefamoussiegeofMontevideo,anddiedheroicallywithhisnegroesatthefordingoftheBoyana.He,Giorgio,hadreachedtherankofensign-alferez-andcookedforthegeneral.Later,inItaly,he,withtherankoflieutenant,rodewiththestaffandstillcookedforthegeneral.