Ностромо
Chapter 3
CaptainMitchellwalkedupwithundisguisedeagerness,putittohisear,thenslippeditintohispocketcoolly.
Sotilloseemedtoovercomeanimmensereluctance.Againhelookedasideatthedoctor,whostaredathimunwinkingly.
ButasCaptainMitchellwasturningaway,withoutasmuchasanodoraglance,hehastenedtosay—
“Youmaygoandwaitdownstairsforthesenordoctor,whomIamgoingtoliberate,too.Youforeignersareinsignificant,tomymind.”
Heforcedaslight,discordantlaughoutofhimself,whileCaptainMitchell,forthefirsttime,lookedathimwithsomeinterest.
“Thelawshalltakenotelateronofyourtransgressions,”Sotillohurriedon.“Butasforme,youcanlivefree,unguarded,unobserved.Doyouhear,SenorMitchell?Youmaydeparttoyouraffairs.Youarebeneathmynotice.Myattentionisclaimedbymattersoftheveryhighestimportance.”
CaptainMitchellwasverynearlyprovokedtoananswer.Itdispleasedhimtobeliberatedinsultingly;butwantofsleep,prolongedanxieties,aprofounddisappointmentwiththefatalendingofthesilver-savingbusinessweigheduponhisspirits.Itwasasmuchashecoulddotoconcealhisuneasiness,notabouthimselfperhaps,butaboutthingsingeneral.Itoccurredtohimdistinctlythatsomethingunderhandwasgoingon.Ashewentoutheignoredthedoctorpointedly.
“Abrute!”saidSotillo,asthedoorshut.
Dr.
