Ностромо
Chapter 3
“Anarmy—anarmycrossedthemountainsunderPedritoalready,”hehadrepeated,unabletohidehisconsternation.“IfithadnotbeenthatIamgiventhenewsbyamanofyourpositionIwouldneverhavebelievedit.Astonishing!”
“Anarmedforce,”correctedtheengineer,suavely.Hisaimwasattained.ItwastokeepSulacoclearofanyarmedoccupationforafewhourslonger,toletthosewhomfearimpelledleavethetown.InthegeneraldismaytherewerefamilieshopefulenoughtoflyupontheroadtowardsLosHatos,whichwasleftopenbythewithdrawalofthearmedrabbleunderSenoresFuentesandGamacho,toRincon,withtheirenthusiasticwelcomeforPedroMontero.Itwasahastyandriskyexodus,anditwassaidthatHernandez,occupyingwithhisbandthewoodsaboutLosHatos,wasreceivingthefugitives.Thatagoodmanypeopleheknewwerecontemplatingsuchaflighthadbeenwellknowntothechiefengineer.
FatherCorbelan’seffortsinthecauseofthatmostpiousrobberhadnotbeenaltogetherfruitless.ThepoliticalchiefofSulacohadyieldedatthelastmomenttotheurgententreatiesofthepriest,hadsignedaprovisionalnominationappointingHernandezageneral,andcallinguponhimofficiallyinthisnewcapacitytopreserveorderinthetown.Thefactisthatthepoliticalchief,seeingthesituationdesperate,didnotcarewhathesigned.ItwasthelastofficialdocumenthesignedbeforeheleftthepalaceoftheIntendenciafortherefugeoftheO.S.N.Company’soffice.
