Ностромо
Chapter 1
“Ihavemisledthemalittleastothetime,”thechiefengineerconfessed.“Howeverhardherides,hecanscarcelygetherebeforethemorning.Butmyobjectisattained.I’vesecuredseveralhours’peaceforthelosingparty.ButIdidnottellthemanythingaboutSotillo,forfeartheywouldtakeitintotheirheadstotrytogetholdoftheharbouragain,eithertoopposehimorwelcomehim—there’snosayingwhich.TherewasGould’ssilver,onwhichreststheremnantofourhopes.Decoud’sretreathadtobethoughtof,too.Ithinktherailwayhasdoneprettywellbyitsfriendswithoutcompromisingitselfhopelessly.Nowthepartiesmustbelefttothemselves.”
“CostaguanafortheCostaguaneros,”interjectedthedoctor,sardonically.“Itisafinecountry,andtheyhaveraisedafinecropofhates,vengeance,murder,andrapine—thosesonsofthecountry.”
“Well,Iamoneofthem,”CharlesGould’svoicesounded,calmly,“andImustbegoingontoseetomyowncropoftrouble.Mywifehasdrivenstraighton,doctor?”
“Yes.Allwasquietonthisside.Mrs.Gouldhastakenthetwogirlswithher.”
CharlesGouldrodeon,andtheengineer-in-chieffollowedthedoctorindoors.
“Thatmaniscalmnesspersonified,”hesaid,appreciatively,droppingonabench,andstretchinghiswell-shapedlegsincyclingstockingsnearlyacrossthedoorway.“Hemustbeextremelysureofhimself.
