Ностромо
Chapter 9
Iamgoingnowtoarrangeforyourdeparturewiththeengineer-in-chief,andIshallbringyounewsherelongbeforedaybreak.”
Dr.Monygham,disregarding,orperhapsfearingtopenetratethemeaningofNostromo’ssilence,clappedhimlightlyontheshoulder,andstartingoffwithhissmart,lamewalk,vanishedutterlyatthethirdorfourthhopinthedirectionoftherailwaytrack.Arrestedbetweenthetwowoodenpostsforpeopletofastentheirhorsesto,Nostromodidnotmove,asifhe,too,hadbeenplantedsolidlyintheground.Attheendofhalfanhourheliftedhisheadtothedeepbayingofthedogsattherailwayyards,whichhadburstoutsuddenly,tumultuousanddeadenedasifcomingfromundertheplain.Thatlamedoctorwiththeevileyehadgotthereprettyfast.
StepbystepNostromoapproachedtheAlbergod’ItaliaUna,whichhehadneverknownsolightless,sosilent,before.Thedoor,allblackinthepalewall,stoodopenashehadleftittwenty-fourhoursbefore,whenhehadnothingtohidefromtheworld.Heremainedbeforeit,irresolute,likeafugitive,likeamanbetrayed.Poverty,misery,starvation!Wherehadheheardthesewords?Theangerofadyingwomanhadprophesiedthatfateforhisfolly.Itlookedasifitwouldcometrueveryquickly.Andtheleperoswouldlaugh—shehadsaid.
