Ностромо

           Inthedaytimehecouldlookatthesilencelikeastillcordstretchedtobreakingpoint,withhislife,hisvainlife,suspendedtoitlikeaweight.

           “IwonderwhetherIwouldhearitsnapbeforeIfell,”heaskedhimself.

           Thesunwastwohoursabovethehorizonwhenhegotup,gaunt,dirty,white-faced,andlookedatitwithhisred-rimmedeyes.Hislimbsobeyedhimslowly,asiffulloflead,yetwithouttremor;andtheeffectofthatphysicalconditiongavetohismovementsanunhesitating,deliberatedignity.Heactedasifaccomplishingsomesortofrite.Hedescendedintothegully;forthefascinationofallthatsilver,withitspotentialpower,survivedaloneoutsideofhimself.Hepickedupthebeltwiththerevolver,thatwaslyingthere,andbuckleditroundhiswaist.Thecordofsilencecouldneversnapontheisland.Itmustlethimfallandsinkintothesea,hethought.Andsink!Hewaslookingatthelooseearthcoveringthetreasure.Inthesea!Hisaspectwasthatofasomnambulist.Heloweredhimselfdownonhiskneesslowlyandwentongrubbingwithhisfingerswithindustriouspatiencetillheuncoveredoneoftheboxes.Withoutapause,asifdoingsomeworkdonemanytimesbefore,heslititopenandtookfouringots,whichheputinhispockets.Hecovereduptheexposedboxagainandstepbystepcameoutofthegully.Thebushesclosedafterhimwithaswish.