Ностромо
Chapter 8
NextmomentheheardNostromo’squietbreathingbyhisside.
“Youhadbetternotmoveatallfromwhereyouare,DonMartin,”advisedtheCapataz,earnestly.“Youmightstumbleordisplacesomethingwhichwouldmakeanoise.Thesweepsandthepuntingpolesarelyingabout.Movenotforyourlife.PorDios,DonMartin,”hewentoninakeenbutfriendlywhisper,“IamsodesperatethatifIdidn’tknowyourworshiptobeamanofcourage,capableofstandingstockstillwhateverhappens,Iwoulddrivemyknifeintoyourheart.”
Adeathlikestillnesssurroundedthelighter.Itwasdifficulttobelievethattherewasnearasteamerfullofmenwithmanypairsofeyespeeringfromherbridgeforsomehintoflandinthenight.Hersteamhadceasedblowingoff,andsheremainedstoppedtoofaroffapparentlyforanyothersoundtoreachthelighter.
“Perhapsyouwould,Capataz,”Decoudbeganinawhisper.“However,youneednottrouble.Thereareotherthingsthanthefearofyourknifetokeepmyheartsteady.Itshallnotbetrayyou.Only,haveyouforgotten—”
“Ispoketoyouopenlyastoamanasdesperateasmyself,”explainedtheCapataz.“ThesilvermustbesavedfromtheMonterists.ItoldCaptainMitchellthreetimesthatIpreferredtogoalone.ItoldDonCarlosGould,too.ItwasintheCasaGould.Theyhadsentforme.
