Ностромо

           Good!Thenhewasnolongerwanted.Asuddendenseguffawwasheardfromtheseniorcaptain—abig-headedman,withlittleroundeyesandmonstrouslyfatcheekswhichnevermoved.Theoldmajor,tallandfantasticallyraggedlikeascarecrow,walkedroundthebodyofthelateSenorHirsch,mutteringtohimselfwithineffablecomplacencythatlikethistherewasnoneedtoguardagainstanyfuturetreacheriesofthatscoundrel.Theothersstared,shiftingfromfoottofoot,andwhisperingshortremarkstoeachother.

           Sotillobuckledonhisswordandgavecurt,peremptoryorderstohastentheretirementdecideduponintheafternoon.Sinister,impressive,hissombreropulledrightdownuponhiseyebrows,hemarchedfirstthroughthedoorinsuchdisorderofmindthatheforgotutterlytoprovideforDr.Monygham’spossiblereturn.Astheofficerstroopedoutafterhim,oneortwolookedbackhastilyatthelateSenorHirsch,merchantfromEsmeralda,leftswingingrigidlyatrest,alonewiththetwoburningcandles.Intheemptinessoftheroomtheburlyshadowofheadandshouldersonthewallhadanairoflife.

           Below,thetroopsfellinsilentlyandmovedoffbycompanieswithoutdrumortrumpet.Theoldscarecrowmajorcommandedtherearguard;butthepartyheleftbehindwithorderstofiretheCustomHouse(and“burnthecarcassofthetreacherousJewwhereithung”)failedsomehowintheirhastetosetthestaircaseproperlyalight.