Ностромо
Chapter 8
Company’slonelybuildingbytheshore,wouldseethelightersalreadyunderway,figuresmovingbusilyaboutthecargocranes,perhapsheartheinvaluableNostromo,nowdismountedandinthecheckedshirtandredsashofaMediterraneansailor,bawlingordersfromtheendofthejettyinastentorianvoice.Afellowinathousand!
Thematerialapparatusofperfectedcivilizationwhichobliteratestheindividualityofoldtownsunderthestereotypedconveniencesofmodernlifehadnotintrudedasyet;butovertheworn-outantiquityofSulaco,socharacteristicwithitsstuccoedhousesandbarredwindows,withthegreatyellowy-whitewallsofabandonedconventsbehindtherowsofsombregreencypresses,thatfact—verymoderninitsspirit—theSanTomeminehadalreadythrownitssubtleinfluence.Ithadaltered,too,theoutwardcharacterofthecrowdsonfeastdaysontheplazabeforetheopenportalofthecathedral,bythenumberofwhiteponchoswithagreenstripeaffectedasholidaywearbytheSanTomeminers.Theyhadalsoadoptedwhitehatswithgreencordandbraid—articlesofgoodquality,whichcouldbeobtainedinthestorehouseoftheadministrationforverylittlemoney.ApeaceableCholowearingthesecolours(unusualinCostaguana)wassomehowveryseldombeatentowithinaninchofhislifeonachargeofdisrespecttothetownpolice;neitherranhemuchriskofbeingsuddenlylassoedontheroadbyarecruitingpartyoflanceros—amethodofvoluntaryenlistmentlookeduponasalmostlegalintheRepublic.
