Ностромо

           Afewjettyhairshungsparselyfromhisupperlip,hehadasalientnose,athin,longjaw,andablacksilkpatchoveroneeye.Hisothereye,smallanddeep-set,twinklederraticallyinalldirections,aimlesslyaffable.ThefewEuropeanspectators,allmen,whohadnaturallydriftedintotheneighbourhoodoftheGouldcarriage,betrayedbythesolemnityoftheirfacestheirimpressionthatthegeneralmusthavehadtoomuchpunch(Swedishpunch,importedinbottlesbyAnzani)attheAmarillaClubbeforehehadstartedwithhisStaffonafuriousridetotheharbour.ButMrs.Gouldbentforward,self-possessed,anddeclaredherconvictionthatstillmoregloryawaitedthegeneralinthenearfuture.

           “Senora!”heremonstrated,withgreatfeeling,“inthenameofGod,reflect!Howcantherebeanygloryforamanlikemeinovercomingthatbald-headedembusterowiththedyedmoustaches?”

           PabloIgnacioBarrios,sonofavillagealcalde,generalofdivision,commandinginchieftheOccidentalMilitarydistrict,didnotfrequentthehighersocietyofthetown.Hepreferredtheunceremoniousgatheringsofmenwherehecouldtelljaguar-huntstories,boastofhispowerswiththelasso,withwhichhecouldperformextremelydifficultfeatsofthesort“nomarriedmanshouldattempt,”asthesayinggoesamongstthellaneros;relatetalesofextraordinarynightrides,encounterswithwildbulls,struggleswithcrocodiles,adventuresinthegreatforests,crossingsofswollenrivers.