Ностромо
Chapter 4
WhenHernandezwasranginghundredsofmilesawayfromheretheSulacopopulaceusedtoshudderatthetalesofhimroastinghisprisonersalive.”
“Yes,”murmuredCharlesGould;“CaptainMitchell’sCapatazwastheonlymaninthetownwhohadseenHernandezeyetoeye.FatherCorbelanemployedhim.Heopenedthecommunicationsfirst.Itisapitythat—”
Hisvoicewascoveredbytheboomingofthegreatbellofthecathedral.Threesinglestrokes,oneafteranother,burstoutexplosively,dyingawayindeepandmellowvibrations.Andthenallthebellsinthetowerofeverychurch,convent,orchapelintown,eventhosethathadremainedshutupforyears,pealedouttogetherwithacrash.InthisfuriousfloodofmetallicuproartherewasapowerofsuggestingimagesofstrifeandviolencewhichblanchedMrs.Gould’scheek.Basilio,whohadbeenwaitingattable,shrinkingwithinhimself,clungtothesideboardwithchatteringteeth.Itwasimpossibletohearyourselfspeak.
“Shutthesewindows!”CharlesGouldyelledathim,angrily.Alltheotherservants,terrifiedatwhattheytookforthesignalofageneralmassacre,hadrushedupstairs,tumblingovereachother,menandwomen,theobscureandgenerallyinvisiblepopulationofthegroundflooronthefoursidesofthepatio.Thewomen,screaming“Misericordia!”ranrightintotheroom,and,fallingontheirkneesagainstthewalls,begantocrossthemselvesconvulsively.
