Ностромо

           Tothetwoserenosofthemineonpatrolduty,strolling,carbineinhand,andwatchfuleyes,intheshadeofthetreesliningthestreamnearthebridge,DonPepe,descendingthepathfromtheupperplateau,appearednobiggerthanalargebeetle.

           Withhisairofaimless,insect-likegoingtoandfrouponthefaceoftherock,DonPepe’sfigurekeptondescendingsteadily,and,whennearthebottom,sankatlastbehindtheroofsofstore-houses,forges,andworkshops.Foratimethepairofserenosstrolledbackandforthbeforethebridge,onwhichtheyhadstoppedahorsemanholdingalargewhiteenvelopeinhishand.ThenDonPepe,emerginginthevillagestreetfromamongstthehouses,notastone’sthrowfromthefrontierbridge,approached,stridinginwidedarktrouserstuckedintoboots,awhitelinenjacket,sabreathisside,andrevolverathisbelt.InthisdisturbedtimenothingcouldfindtheSenorGobernadorwithhisbootsoff,asthesayingis.

           Ataslightnodfromoneoftheserenos,theman,amessengerfromthetown,dismounted,andcrossedthebridge,leadinghishorsebythebridle.

           DonPepereceivedtheletterfromhisotherhand,slappedhisleftsideandhishipsinsuccession,feelingforhisspectaclecase.Aftersettlingtheheavysilvermountedaffairastridehisnose,andadjustingitcarefullybehindhisears,heopenedtheenvelope,holdingitupataboutafootinfrontofhiseyes.Thepaperhepulledoutcontainedsomethreelinesofwriting.Helookedatthemforalongtime.