Ностромо
Chapter 8
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“Ah,well!ifyourworshipisinformed.UnaAmericana;itneedbesomethingofthatsort.”
Andtheywouldlaughalittlewithastonishmentandscorn,keepingawaryeyeontheshadowsoftheroad,foroneisliabletomeetbadmenwhentravellinglateontheCampo.
AnditwasnotonlythementhatDonPepeknewsowell,butheseemedable,withoneattentive,thoughtfulglance,toclassifyeachwoman,girl,orgrowingyouthofhisdomain.Itwasonlythesmallfrythatpuzzledhimsometimes.Heandthepadrecouldbeseenfrequentlysidebyside,meditativeandgazingacrossthestreetofavillageatalotofsedatebrownchildren,tryingtosortthemout,asitwere,inlow,consultingtones,orelsetheywouldtogetherputsearchingquestionsastotheparentageofsomesmall,staidurchinmetwandering,nakedandgrave,alongtheroadwithacigarinhisbabymouth,andperhapshismother’srosary,purloinedforpurposesofornamentation,hanginginaloopofbeadslowdownonhisrotundlittlestomach.Thespiritualandtemporalpastorsofthemineflockwereverygoodfriends.WithDr.Monygham,themedicalpastor,whohadacceptedthechargefromMrs.Gould,andlivedinthehospitalbuilding,theywereonnotsointimateterms.ButnoonecouldbeonintimatetermswithElSenorDoctor,who,withhistwistedshoulders,droopinghead,sardonicmouth,andside-longbitterglance,wasmysteriousanduncanny.Theothertwoauthoritiesworkedinharmony.
