Ностромо
Chapter 8
Butthedoctor,engrossedbyadesperateadventureofhisown,wasterribleinthepursuitofhisidea.Heletanexclamationofregretescapehim.
“Icouldalmostwishyouhadshoutedandshownalight.”
ThisunexpectedutteranceastoundedtheCapatazbyitscharacterofcold-bloodedatrocity.Itwasasmuchastosay,“Iwishyouhadshownyourselfacoward;Iwishyouhadhadyourthroatcutforyourpains.”Naturallyhereferredittohimself,whereasitrelatedonlytothesilver,beingutteredsimplyandwithmanymentalreservations.Surpriseandragerenderedhimspeechless,andthedoctorpursued,practicallyunheardbyNostromo,whosestirredbloodwasbeatingviolentlyinhisears.
“ForIamconvincedSotilloinpossessionofthesilverwouldhaveturnedshortroundandmadeforsomesmallportabroad.Economicallyitwouldhavebeenwasteful,butstilllesswastefulthanhavingitsunk.Itwasthenextbestthingtohavingitathandinsomesafeplace,andusingpartofittobuyupSotillo.ButIdoubtwhetherDonCarloswouldhaveevermadeuphismindtoit.HeisnotfitforCostaguana,andthatisafact,Capataz.”
TheCapatazhadmasteredthefurythatwaslikeatempestinhisearsintimetohearthenameofDonCarlos.Heseemedtohavecomeoutofitachangedman—amanwhospokethoughtfullyinasoftandevenvoice.
