Ностромо
Chapter 3
”
Hegroundedhisoldgun,and,turninghishead,glancedatthecolouredlithographofGaribaldiinablackframeonthewhitewall;athreadofstrongsunshinecutitperpendicularly.Hiseyes,accustomedtotheluminoustwilight,madeoutthehighcolouringoftheface,theredoftheshirt,theoutlinesofthesquareshoulders,theblackpatchoftheBersaglierehatwithcock’sfeatherscurlingoverthecrown.Animmortalhero!Thiswasyourliberty;itgaveyounotonlylife,butimmortalityaswell!
Forthatonemanhisfanaticismhadsufferednodiminution.Inthemomentofrelieffromtheapprehensionofthegreatestdanger,perhaps,hisfamilyhadbeenexposedtoinalltheirwanderings,hehadturnedtothepictureofhisoldchief,firstandonly,thenlaidhishandonhiswife’sshoulder.
Thechildrenkneelingonthefloorhadnotmoved.SignoraTeresaopenedhereyesalittle,asthoughhehadawakenedherfromaverydeepanddreamlessslumber.Beforehehadtimeinhisdeliberatewaytosayareassuringwordshejumpedup,withthechildrenclingingtoher,oneoneachside,gaspedforbreath,andletoutahoarseshriek.
Itwassimultaneouswiththebangofaviolentblowstruckontheoutsideoftheshutter.Theycouldhearsuddenlythesnortingofahorse,therestivetrampingofhoofsonthenarrow,hardpathinfrontofthehouse;thetoeofabootstruckattheshutteragain;aspurjingledateveryblow,andanexcitedvoiceshouted,“Hola!hola,inthere!”
