Ностромо

           Itwasfaintindeed,becausetheywereadvancingwithprecautionanddeadslow,bothonaccountofthedarknessandfromtheirdesireofnotrevealingtoosoontheirpresence:averyunnecessarycare,because,Iverilybelieve,inalltheenormousextentofthisharbourIwastheonlylivingsoulabout.Eventheusualstaffofwatchmenandothershadbeenabsentfromtheirpostsforseveralnightsowingtothedisturbances.Istoodstockstill,afterdroppingandstampingoutmycigar—acircumstancehighlyagreeable,Ishouldthink,tothemosquitoes,ifImayjudgefromthestateofmyfacenextmorning.ButthatwasatriflinginconvenienceincomparisonwiththebrutalproceedingsIbecamevictimofonthepartofSotillo.Somethingutterlyinconceivable,sir;moreliketheproceedingsofamaniacthantheactionofasaneman,howeverlosttoallsenseofhonouranddecency.ButSotillowasfuriousatthefailureofhisthievishscheme.”

           InthisCaptainMitchellwasright.Sotillowasindeedinfuriated.CaptainMitchell,however,hadnotbeenarrestedatonce;avividcuriosityinducedhimtoremainonthewharf(whichisnearlyfourhundredfeetlong)tosee,orratherhear,thewholeprocessofdisembarkation.Concealedbytherailwaytruckusedforthesilver,whichhadbeenrunbackafterwardstotheshoreendofthejetty,CaptainMitchellsawthesmalldetachmentthrownforward,passby,takingdifferentdirectionsupontheplain.