Ностромо
Chapter 8
Therewasinthatmanasortofsane,humorousshrewdness,andaveinofgenuinehumanitysooftenfoundinsimpleoldsoldiersofprovedcouragewhohaveseenmuchdesperateservice.Ofcourseheknewnothingwhateverofmining,buthisemploymentwasofaspecialkind.Hewasinchargeofthewholepopulationintheterritoryofthemine,whichextendedfromtheheadofthegorgetowherethecarttrackfromthefootofthemountainenterstheplain,crossingastreamoveralittlewoodenbridgepaintedgreen—green,thecolourofhope,beingalsothecolourofthemine.
ItwasreportedinSulacothatupthere“atthemountain”DonPepewalkedaboutprecipitouspaths,girtwithagreatswordandinashabbyuniformwithtarnishedbullionepaulettesofaseniormajor.MostminersbeingIndians,withbigwildeyes,addressedhimasTaita(father),asthesebarefootedpeopleofCostaguanawilladdressanybodywhowearsshoes;butitwasBasilio,Mr.Gould’sownmozoandtheheadservantoftheCasa,who,inallgoodfaithandfromasenseofpropriety,announcedhimonceinthesolemnwords,“ElSenorGobernadorhasarrived.”
DonJoseAvellanos,theninthedrawing-room,wasdelightedbeyondmeasureattheaptnessofthetitle,withwhichhegreetedtheoldmajorbanteringlyassoonasthelatter’ssoldierlyfigureappearedinthedoorway.DonPepeonlysmiledinhislongmoustaches,asmuchastosay,“Youmighthavefoundaworsenameforanoldsoldier.
