Ностромо
Chapter 4
Hehadcomedowntoheadquartersfromsomewhereupthelineonalightengine,andhadhadjusttimetogetabathandchangehisclothes.Hewasaniceboy,andMrs.Gouldwelcomedhim.
“It’sadelightfulsurprisetoseeyou,Mrs.Gould.I’vejustcomedown.Usualluck.Missedeverything,ofcourse.Thisshowisjustover,andIheartherehasbeenagreatdanceatDonJusteLopez’slastnight.Isittrue?”
“Theyoungpatricians,”DecoudbegansuddenlyinhispreciseEnglish,“haveindeedbeendancingbeforetheystartedofftothewarwiththeGreatPompey.”
YoungScarfestared,astounded.“Youhaven’tmetbefore,”Mrs.Gouldintervened.“Mr.Decoud—Mr.Scarfe.”
“Ah!ButwearenotgoingtoPharsalia,”protestedDonJose,withnervoushaste,alsoinEnglish.“Youshouldnotjestlikethis,Martin.”
Antonia’sbreastroseandfellwithadeeperbreath.Theyoungengineerwasutterlyinthedark.“Greatwhat?”hemuttered,vaguely.
“Luckily,MonteroisnotaCaesar,”Decoudcontinued.“NotthetwoMonterosputtogetherwouldmakeadecentparodyofaCaesar.”Hecrossedhisarmsonhisbreast,lookingatSenorAvellanos,whohadreturnedtohisimmobility.“Itisonlyyou,DonJose,whoareagenuineoldRoman—virRomanus—eloquentandinflexible.”
SincehehadheardthenameofMonteropronounced,youngScarfehadbeeneagertoexpresshissimplefeelings.
