Ностромо

           SulacoNationalBankthere,withthesentryboxeseachsideofthegate.CasaAvellanosthisside,withalltheground-floorwindowsshuttered.Awonderfulwomanlivesthere—MissAvellanos—thebeautifulAntonia.Acharacter,sir!Ahistoricalwoman!Opposite—CasaGould.Noblegateway.Yes,theGouldsoftheoriginalGouldConcession,thatalltheworldknowsofnow.Iholdseventeenofthethousand-dollarsharesintheConsolidatedSanTomemines.Allthepoorsavingsofmylifetime,sir,anditwillbeenoughtokeepmeincomforttotheendofmydaysathomewhenIretire.Igotinontheground-floor,yousee.DonCarlos,greatfriendofmine.Seventeenshares—quitealittlefortunetoleavebehindone,too.Ihaveaniece—marriedaparson—mostworthyman,incumbentofasmallparishinSussex;noendofchildren.Iwasnevermarriedmyself.Asailorshouldexerciseself-denial.Standingunderthatverygateway,sir,withsomeyoungengineer-fellows,readytodefendthathousewherewehadreceivedsomuchkindnessandhospitality,IsawthefirstandlastchargeofPedrito’shorsemenuponBarrios’stroops,whohadjusttakentheHarbourGate.TheycouldnotstandthenewriflesbroughtoutbythatpoorDecoud.Itwasamurderousfire.Inamomentthestreetbecameblockedwithamassofdeadmenandhorses.Theynevercameonagain.”

           AndalldayCaptainMitchellwouldtalklikethistohismoreorlesswillingvictim—

           “ThePlaza.Icallitmagnificent.TwicetheareaofTrafalgarSquare.