Ностромо
Chapter 2
“Drowned!”Afterwardshekeptstill,apparentlylistening,buttooabsorbedinthenewsofthecatastrophetofollowthedoctor’snarrativewithattention.
Thedoctorhadtakenupanattitudeofperfectignorance,tillatlastSotillowasinducedtohaveHirschbroughtintorepeatthewholestory,whichwasgotoutofhimagainwiththegreatestdifficulty,becauseeverymomenthewouldbreakoutintolamentations.Atlast,Hirschwasledaway,lookingmoredeadthanalive,andshutupinoneoftheupstairsroomstobecloseathand.Thenthedoctor,keepinguphischaracterofamannotadmittedtotheinnercouncilsoftheSanTomeAdministration,remarkedthatthestorysoundedincredible.Ofcourse,hesaid,hecouldn’ttellwhathadbeentheactionoftheEuropeans,ashehadbeenexclusivelyoccupiedwithhisownworkinlookingafterthewounded,andalsoinattendingDonJoseAvellanos.Hehadsucceededinassumingsowellatoneofimpartialindifference,thatSotilloseemedtobecompletelydeceived.Tillthenashowofregularinquiryhadbeenkeptup;oneoftheofficerssittingatthetablewrotedownthequestionsandtheanswers,theothers,loungingabouttheroom,listenedattentively,puffingattheirlongcigarsandkeepingtheireyesonthedoctor.ButatthatpointSotilloorderedeverybodyout.
