Ностромо

           Allofitbutthatthingwhichwasbeyondcommoncomprehension;whichstoodbetweenhimandthepowerthathearsandgiveseffecttotheevilintentionofcurses.Itwasdark.Noteverymanhadsuchadarkness.Andtheyweregoingtoputalightthere.Alight!Hesawitshiningupondisgrace,poverty,contempt.Somebodywassureto....Perhapssomebodyhadalready....

           TheincomparableNostromo,theCapataz,therespectedandfearedCaptainFidanza,theunquestionedpatronofsecretsocieties,arepublicanlikeoldGiorgio,andarevolutionistatheart(butinanothermanner),wasonthepointofjumpingoverboardfromthedeckofhisownschooner.Thatman,subjectivealmosttoinsanity,lookedsuicidedeliberatelyintheface.Butheneverlosthishead.Hewascheckedbythethoughtthatthiswasnoescape.Heimaginedhimselfdead,andthedisgrace,theshamegoingon.Or,rather,properlyspeaking,hecouldnotimaginehimselfdead.Hewaspossessedtoostronglybythesenseofhisownexistence,athingofinfinitedurationinitschanges,tograspthenotionoffinality.Theearthgoesonforever.

           Andhewascourageous.Itwasacorruptcourage,butitwasasgoodforhispurposesastheotherkind.HesailedclosetothecliffoftheGreatIsabel,throwingapenetratingglancefromthedeckatthemouthoftheravine,tangledinanundisturbedgrowthofbushes.Hesailedcloseenoughtoexchangehailswiththeworkmen,shadingtheireyesontheedgeofthesheerdropofthecliffoverhungbythejib-headofapowerfulcrane.