Ностромо
Chapter 9
AndwhenthepicketinthebushesneartheCasaViolahadbeenorderedtofallbackuponthemainbody,nostiroflifeappearedonthestretchofdustyandaridlandbetweenthetownandthewatersoftheport.Butlateintheafternoonahorsemanissuingfromthegatewasmadeoutridingupfearlessly.ItwasanemissaryfromSenorFuentes.Beingallalonehewasallowedtocomeon.Dismountingatthegreatdoorhegreetedthesilentbystanderswithcheeryimpudence,andbeggedtobetakenupatoncetothe“muyvalliente”colonel.
SenorFuentes,onenteringuponhisfunctionsofGefePolitico,hadturnedhisdiplomaticabilitiestogettingholdoftheharbouraswellasofthemine.ThemanhepitchedupontonegotiatewithSotillowasaNotaryPublic,whomtherevolutionhadfoundlanguishinginthecommonjailonachargeofforgingdocuments.Liberatedbythemobalongwiththeother“victimsofBlancotyranny,”hehadhastenedtoofferhisservicestothenewGovernment.
HesetoutdeterminedtodisplaymuchzealandeloquenceintryingtoinduceSotillotocomeintotownaloneforaconferencewithPedritoMontero.Nothingwasfurtherfromthecolonel’sintentions.ThemerefleetingideaoftrustinghimselfintothefamousPedrito’shandshadmadehimfeelunwellseveraltimes.Itwasoutofthequestion—itwasmadness.Andtoputhimselfinopenhostilitywasmadness,too.
