Nostromo - A Tale of the Seaboard.pdf - Planet eBook

‘I am inexpressibly grateful for your welcome; but whyneed a man be thanked for returning to his native country?I am sure Dona Antonia does not think so.’‘Certainly not, senor,’ she said, with that perfectly calmopenness of manner which characterized all her utterances.‘But when he returns, as you return, one may be glad—forthe sake of both.’Martin Decoud said nothing of his plans. He not onlynever breathed a word of them to any one, but only a fortnightlater asked the mistress of the Casa Gould (where hehad of course obtained admission at once), leaning forwardin his chair with an air of well-bred familiarity, whether shecould not detect in him that day a marked change—an air,he explained, of more excellent gravity. At this Mrs. Gouldturned her face full towards him with the silent inquiry ofslightly widened eyes and the merest ghost of a smile, anhabitual movement with her, which was very fascinatingto men by something subtly devoted, finely self-forgetfulin its lively readiness of attention. Because, Decoud continuedimperturbably, he felt no longer an idle cumbererof the earth. She was, he assured her, actually beholding atthat moment the Journalist of Sulaco. At once Mrs. Gouldglanced towards Antonia, posed upright in the corner of ahigh, straight-backed Spanish sofa, a large black fan wavingslowly against the curves of her fine figure, the tips ofcrossed feet peeping from under the hem of the black skirt.Decoud’s eyes also remained fixed there, while in an undertonehe added that Miss Avellanos was quite aware of hisnew and unexpected vocation, which in Costaguana was