Ностромо
Chapter 5
”
“Ifheissuccessful!”saidAntonia,thoughtfully.
“Youseemsatisfiedtoseemylifehangonathread,”Decoudreplied,withabroadsmile.“AndtheotherMontero,the‘mytrustedbrother’oftheproclamations,theguerrillero—haven’tIwrittenthathewastakingtheguests’overcoatsandchangingplatesinParisatourLegationintheintervalsofspyingonourrefugeesthere,inthetimeofRojas?Hewillwashoutthatsacredtruthinblood.Inmyblood!Whydoyoulookannoyed?Thisissimplyabitofthebiographyofoneofourgreatmen.Whatdoyouthinkhewilldotome?ThereisacertainconventwallroundthecornerofthePlaza,oppositethedooroftheBullRing.Youknow?Oppositethedoorwiththeinscription,IntradadelaSombra.’Appropriate,perhaps!That’swheretheuncleofourhostgaveuphisAnglo-South-Americansoul.And,note,hemighthaverunaway.Amanwhohasfoughtwithweaponsmayrunaway.YoumighthaveletmegowithBarriosifyouhadcaredforme.Iwouldhavecarriedoneofthoserifles,inwhichDonJosebelieves,withthegreatestsatisfaction,intheranksofpoorpeonsandIndios,thatknownothingeitherofreasonorpolitics.Themostforlornhopeinthemostforlornarmyonearthwouldhavebeensaferthanthatforwhichyoumademestayhere.Whenyoumakewaryoumayretreat,butnotwhenyouspendyourtimeinincitingpoorignorantfoolstokillandtodie.
