Ностромо
Chapter 5
Foralltheindifferenceofamanofaffairstonature,whosehostilitycanalwaysbeovercomebytheresourcesoffinance,hecouldnothelpbeingimpressedbyhissurroundingsduringhishaltatthesurveyingcampestablishedatthehighestpointhisrailwaywastoreach.Hespentthenightthere,arrivingjusttoolatetoseethelastdyingglowofsunlightuponthesnowyflankofHiguerota.Pillaredmassesofblackbasaltframedlikeanopenportalaportionofthewhitefieldlyingaslantagainstthewest.Inthetransparentairofthehighaltitudeseverythingseemedverynear,steepedinaclearstillnessasinanimponderableliquid;andwithhisearreadytocatchthefirstsoundoftheexpecteddiligenciatheengineer-in-chief,atthedoorofahutofroughstones,hadcontemplatedthechanginghuesontheenormoussideofthemountain,thinkingthatinthissight,asinapieceofinspiredmusic,therecouldbefoundtogethertheutmostdelicacyofshadedexpressionandastupendousmagnificenceofeffect.
SirJohnarrivedtoolatetohearthemagnificentandinaudiblestrainsungbythesunsetamongstthehighpeaksoftheSierra.Ithadsungitselfoutintothebreathlesspauseofdeepduskbefore,climbingdowntheforewheelofthediligenciawithstifflimbs,heshookhandswiththeengineer.
