Ностромо
Chapter 8
Havinghadtoencountersinglehandedduringhisperiodofeclipsemanyphysicaldangers,hewaswellawareofthemostdangerouselementcommontothemall:ofthecrushing,paralyzingsenseofhumanlittleness,whichiswhatreallydefeatsamanstrugglingwithnaturalforces,alone,farfromtheeyesofhisfellows.HewaseminentlyfittoappreciatethementalimagehemadeforhimselfoftheCapataz,afterhoursoftensionandanxiety,precipitatedsuddenlyintoanabyssofwatersanddarkness,withoutearthorsky,andconfrontingitnotonlywithanundismayedmind,butwithsensiblesuccess.Ofcourse,themanwasanincomparableswimmer,thatwasknown,butthedoctorjudgedthatthisinstancetestifiedtoastillgreaterintrepidityofspirit.Itwaspleasingtohim;heauguredwellfromitforthesuccessofthearduousmissionwithwhichhemeanttoentrusttheCapatazsomarvellouslyrestoredtousefulness.Andinatonevaguelygratified,heobserved—
“Itmusthavebeenterriblydark!”
“ItwastheworstdarknessoftheGolfo,”theCapatazassented,briefly.Hewasmollifiedbywhatseemedasignofsomefaintinterestinsuchthingsashadbefallenhim,anddroppedafewdescriptivephraseswithanaffectedandcurtnonchalance.Atthatmomenthefeltcommunicative.Heexpectedthecontinuanceofthatinterestwhich,whetheracceptedorrejected,wouldhaverestoredtohimhispersonality—theonlythinglostinthatdesperateaffair.
