Ностромо
Chapter 2
Nearbyaloudvoicedirectedhurriedly,“Pushthatrailwaycaroutoftheway!”AttherushofbarefeettoexecutetheorderCaptainMitchellskippedbackapaceortwo;thecar,suddenlyimpelledbymanyhands,flewawayfromhimalongtherails,andbeforeheknewwhathadhappenedhefoundhimselfsurroundedandseizedbyhisarmsandthecollarofhiscoat.
“Wehavecaughtamanhidinghere,miteniente!”criedoneofhiscaptors.
“Holdhimononesidetilltherearguardcomesalong,”answeredthevoice.ThewholecolumnstreamedpastCaptainMitchellatarun,thethunderingnoiseoftheirfeetdyingawaysuddenlyontheshore.Hiscaptorsheldhimtightly,disregardinghisdeclarationthathewasanEnglishmanandhislouddemandstobetakenatoncebeforetheircommandingofficer.Finallyhelapsedintodignifiedsilence.Withahollowrumbleofwheelsontheplanksacoupleoffieldguns,draggedbyhand,rolledby.Then,afterasmallbodyofmenhadmarchedpastescortingfourorfivefigureswhichwalkedinadvance,withajingleofsteelscabbards,hefeltatugathisarms,andwasorderedtocomealong.DuringthepassagefromthewharftotheCustomHouseitistobefearedthatCaptainMitchellwassubjectedtocertainindignitiesatthehandsofthesoldiers—suchasjerks,thumpsontheneck,forcibleapplicationofthebuttofarifletothesmallofhisback.Theirideasofspeedwerenotinaccordwithhisnotionofhisdignity.Hebecameflustered,flushed,andhelpless.
