Ностромо
Chapter 4
”
SignoraTeresafoundhervoice.
“ItiswhatIsay.Youhavenoheart—andyouhavenoconscience,Gian’Battista—”
Theyheardhimwheelhishorseawayfromtheshutters.ThepartyheledwerebabblingexcitedlyinItalianandSpanish,incitingeachothertothepursuit.Heputhimselfattheirhead,crying,“Avanti!”
“Hehasnotstoppedverylongwithus.Thereisnopraisefromstrangerstobegothere,”SignoraTeresasaidtragically.“Avanti!Yes!Thatisallhecaresfor.Tobefirstsomewhere—somehow—tobefirstwiththeseEnglish.Theywillbeshowinghimtoeverybody.‘ThisisourNostromo!’”Shelaughedominously.“Whataname!Whatisthat?Nostromo?Hewouldtakeanamethatisproperlynowordfromthem.”
MeantimeGiorgio,withtranquilmovements,hadbeenunfasteningthedoor;thefloodoflightfellonSignoraTeresa,withhertwogirlsgatheredtoherside,apicturesquewomaninaposeofmaternalexaltation.Behindherthewallwasdazzlinglywhite,andthecrudecoloursoftheGaribaldilithographpaledinthesunshine.
OldViola,atthedoor,movedhisarmupwardsasifreferringallhisquick,fleetingthoughtstothepictureofhisoldchiefonthewall.
