Ностромо
Chapter 10
Company,remainingopensolatebecauseofthesteamer.Nearly—butnotquite.
“Teno’clock.Yourshipwon’tbereadytoleavetillhalf-pasttwelve,ifbythen.Comeinforabrandy-and-sodaandonemorecigar.”
Andinthesuperintendent’sprivateroomtheprivilegedpassengerbytheCeres,orJuno,orPallas,stunnedandasitwereannihilatedmentallybyasuddensurfeitofsights,sounds,names,facts,andcomplicatedinformationimperfectlyapprehended,wouldlistenlikeatiredchildtoafairytale;wouldhearavoice,familiarandsurprisinginitspompousness,tellhim,asiffromanotherworld,howtherewas“inthisveryharbour”aninternationalnavaldemonstration,whichputanendtotheCostaguana-SulacoWar.HowtheUnitedStatescruiser,Powhattan,wasthefirsttosalutetheOccidentalflag—white,withawreathofgreenlaurelinthemiddleencirclingayellowamarillaflower.WouldhearhowGeneralMontero,inlessthanamonthafterproclaiminghimselfEmperorofCostaguana,wasshotdead(duringasolemnandpublicdistributionofordersandcrosses)byayoungartilleryofficer,thebrotherofhisthenmistress.
“TheabominablePedrito,sir,fledthecountry,”thevoicewouldsay.Anditwouldcontinue:“AcaptainofoneofourshipstoldmelatelythatherecognizedPedritotheGuerrillero,arrayedinpurpleslippersandavelvetsmoking-capwithagoldtassel,keepingadisorderlyhouseinoneofthesouthernports.
