Ностромо
Chapter 2
Afteramomentheturnedabout,andwithacommandinggesturemadeallhisofficersfallback.Helaiddownthewatchonthetable,then,negligently,pushedhishatoverit.
“Ha!”hebegan,goingupveryclosetothechair.“YoudarecallmyvaliantsoldiersoftheEsmeraldaregiment,thieves.Youdare!Whatimpudence!Youforeignerscomeheretorobourcountryofitswealth.Youneverhaveenough!Youraudacityknowsnobounds.”
Helookedtowardstheofficers,amongstwhomtherewasanapprovingmurmur.Theoldermajorwasmovedtodeclare—
“Si,micolonel.Theyarealltraitors.”
“Ishallsaynothing,”continuedSotillo,fixingthemotionlessandpowerlessMitchellwithanangrybutuneasystare.“IshallsaynothingofyourtreacherousattempttogetpossessionofmyrevolvertoshootmewhileIwastryingtotreatyouwithconsiderationyoudidnotdeserve.Youhaveforfeitedyourlife.Youronlyhopeisinmyclemency.”
Hewatchedfortheeffectofhiswords,buttherewasnoobvioussignoffearonCaptainMitchell’sface.Hiswhitehairwasfullofdust,whichcoveredalsotherestofhishelplessperson.Asifhehadheardnothing,hetwitchedaneyebrowtogetridofabitofstrawwhichhungamongstthehairs.
Sotilloadvancedonelegandputhisarmsakimbo.“Itisyou,Mitchell,”hesaid,emphatically,“whoarethethief,notmysoldiers!”Hepointedathisprisoneraforefingerwithalong,almond-shapednail.
