Ностромо
Chapter 8
Hewasnotveryclearastowhathadinducedhimtoleavetheplace,butevidentlyhehadgotoutandslunksuccessfullyoutoftownalongthedesertedbacklanes.Hewanderedinthedarknessneartherailway,somaddenedbyapprehensionthathedarednotevenapproachthefiresofthepicketsofItalianworkmenguardingtheline.Hehadavagueideaevidentlyoffindingrefugeintherailwayyards,butthedogsrusheduponhim,barking;menbegantoshout;ashotwasfiredatrandom.Hefledawayfromthegates.Bythemerestaccident,asithappened,hetookthedirectionoftheO.S.N.Company’soffices.Twicehestumbleduponthebodiesofmenkilledduringtheday.Buteverythinglivingfrightenedhimmuchmore.Hecrouched,crept,crawled,madedashes,guidedbyasortofanimalinstinct,keepingawayfromeverylightandfromeverysoundofvoices.HisideawastothrowhimselfatthefeetofCaptainMitchellandbegforshelterintheCompany’soffices.Itwasalldarkthereasheapproachedonhishandsandknees,butsuddenlysomeoneonguardchallengedloudly,“Quienvive?”Thereweremoredeadmenlyingabout,andheflattenedhimselfdownatoncebythesideofacoldcorpse.Heheardavoicesaying,“Hereisoneofthosewoundedrascalscrawlingabout.ShallIgoandfinishhim?”Andanothervoiceobjectedthatitwasnotsafetogooutwithoutalanternuponsuchanerrand;perhapsitwasonlysomenegroLiberallookingforachancetostickaknifeintothestomachofanhonestman.
