Ностромо
Chapter 3
Listen,senor!FormanymonthsnowtheCampohasbeenourown.Weneedasknomanforanything;butsoldiersmusthavetheirpaytolivehonestlywhenthewarsareover.Itisbelievedthatyoursoulissojustthataprayerfromyouwouldcurethesicknessofeverybeast,liketheorisonoftheuprightjudge.Letmehavesomewordsfromyourlipsthatwouldactlikeacharmuponthedoubtsofourpartida,whereallaremen.”
“Doyouhearwhathesays?”CharlesGouldsaidinEnglishtoAntonia.
“Forgiveusourmisery!”sheexclaimed,hurriedly.“Itisyourcharacterthatistheinexhaustibletreasurewhichmaysaveusallyet;yourcharacter,Carlos,notyourwealth.Ientreatyoutogivethismanyourwordthatyouwillacceptanyarrangementmyunclemaymakewiththeirchief.Oneword.Hewillwantnomore.”
Onthesiteoftheroadsidehutthereremainednothingbutanenormousheapofembers,throwingafaradarkeningredglow,inwhichAntonia’sfaceappeareddeeplyflushedwithexcitement.CharlesGould,withonlyashorthesitation,pronouncedtherequiredpledge.Hewaslikeamanwhohadventuredonaprecipitouspathwithnoroomtoturn,wheretheonlychanceofsafetyistopressforward.AtthatmomentheunderstooditthoroughlyashelookeddownatDonJosestretchedout,hardlybreathing,bythesideoftheerectAntonia,vanquishedinalifelongstrugglewiththepowersofmoraldarkness,whosestagnantdepthsbreedmonstrouscrimesandmonstrousillusions
