Ностромо

           Itwasalmostasnarrowasacorridor,withasmallsquareaperture,barredbyaheavygrating,atthedistantend.CaptainMitchellstaggeredforafewsteps,thensatdownontheearthenfloorwithhisbacktothewall.Nothing,notevenagleamoflightfromanywhere,interferedwithCaptainMitchell’smeditation.Hedidsomehardbutnotveryextensivethinking.Itwasnotofagloomycast.Theoldsailor,withallhissmallweaknessesandabsurdities,wasconstitutionallyincapableofentertainingforanylengthoftimeafearofhispersonalsafety.Itwasnotsomuchfirmnessofsoulasthelackofacertainkindofimagination—thekindwhoseunduedevelopmentcausedintensesufferingtoSenorHirsch;thatsortofimaginationwhichaddstheblindterrorofbodilysufferingandofdeath,envisagedasanaccidenttothebodyalone,strictly—toalltheotherapprehensionsonwhichthesenseofone’sexistenceisbased.Unfortunately,CaptainMitchellhadnotmuchpenetrationofanykind;characteristic,illuminatingtriflesofexpression,action,ormovement,escapedhimcompletely.Hewastoopompouslyandinnocentlyawareofhisownexistencetoobservethatofothers.Forinstance,hecouldnotbelievethatSotillohadbeenreallyafraidofhim,andthissimplybecauseitwouldneverhaveenteredintohisheadtoshootanyoneexceptinthemostpressingcaseofself-defence.Anybodycouldseehewasnotamurderingkindofman,hereflectedquitegravely.Thenwhythispreposterousandinsultingcharge?heaskedhimself.