Ностромо
Chapter 2
CaptainMitchell,onhispart,neverleftthemtillhehadseenthemcollapse,panting,terrified,andexasperated,butsafe,ontheluxuriantvelvetsofasinthefirst-classsaloonoftheMinerva.Totheverylasthehadbeencarefultoaddresstheex-Dictatoras“YourExcellency.”
“Sir,Icoulddonoother.Themanwasdown—ghastly,livid,onemassofscratches.”
TheMinervaneverletgoheranchorthatcall.Thesuperintendentorderedheroutoftheharbouratonce.Nocargocouldbelanded,ofcourse,andthepassengersforSulaconaturallyrefusedtogoashore.Theycouldhearthefiringandseeplainlythefightgoingonattheedgeofthewater.TherepulsedmobdevoteditsenergiestoanattackupontheCustomHouse,adreary,unfinished-lookingstructurewithmanywindowstwohundredyardsawayfromtheO.S.N.Offices,andtheonlyotherbuildingneartheharbour.CaptainMitchell,afterdirectingthecommanderoftheMinervatoland“thesegentlemen”inthefirstportofcalloutsideCostaguana,wentbackinhisgigtoseewhatcouldbedonefortheprotectionoftheCompany’sproperty.ThatandthepropertyoftherailwaywerepreservedbytheEuropeanresidents;thatis,byCaptainMitchellhimselfandthestaffofengineersbuildingtheroad,aidedbytheItalianandBasqueworkmenwhoralliedfaithfullyroundtheirEnglishchiefs.TheCompany’slightermen,too,nativesoftheRepublic,behavedverywellundertheirCapataz
