Ностромо
Chapter 8
Fatherfirst,inapointedstrawhat,thenthemotherwiththebiggerchildren,generallyalsoadiminutivedonkey,allunderburdens,excepttheleaderhimself,orperhapssomegrowngirl,theprideofthefamily,steppingbarefootedandstraightasanarrow,withbraidsofravenhair,athick,haughtyprofile,andnoloadtocarrybutthesmallguitarofthecountryandapairofsoftleathersandalstiedtogetheronherback.Atthesightofsuchpartiesstrungoutonthecrosstrailsbetweenthepastures,orcampedbythesideoftheroyalroad,travellersonhorsebackwouldremarktoeachother—
“MorepeoplegoingtotheSanTomemine.Weshallseeothersto-morrow.”
Andspurringoninthedusktheywoulddiscussthegreatnewsoftheprovince,thenewsoftheSanTomemine.ArichEnglishmanwasgoingtoworkit—andperhapsnotanEnglishman,Quiensabe!Aforeignerwithmuchmoney.Oh,yes,ithadbegun.ApartyofmenwhohadbeentoSulacowithaherdofblackbullsforthenextcorridahadreportedthatfromtheporchoftheposadainRincon,onlyashortleaguefromthetown,thelightsonthemountainwerevisible,twinklingabovethetrees.Andtherewasawomanseenridingahorsesideways,notinthechairseat,butuponasortofsaddle,andaman’shatonherhead.Shewalkedabout,too,onfootupthemountainpaths.Awomanengineer,itseemedshewas.
“Whatanabsurdity!Impossible,senor!”
“Si!Si!UnaAmericanadelNorte.
