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

deep to be uttered in words even to her husband. She understoodhis voiceless reserve better now. Their confidentialintercourse fell, not in moments of privacy, but precisely inpublic, when the quick meeting of their glances would commentupon some fresh turn of events. She had gone to hisschool of uncompromising silence, the only one possible,since so much that seemed shocking, weird, and grotesquein the working out of their purposes had to be acceptedas normal in this country. Decidedly, the stately Antonialooked more mature and infinitely calm; but she would neverhave known how to reconcile the sudden sinkings of herheart with an amiable mobility of expression.Mrs. Gould smiled a good-bye at Barrios, nodded roundto the Europeans (who raised their hats simultaneously)with an engaging invitation, ‘I hope to see you all presently,at home”; then said nervously to Decoud, ‘Get in, DonMartin,’ and heard him mutter to himself in French, as heopened the carriage door, ‘Le sort en est jete.’ She heard himwith a sort of exasperation. Nobody ought to have knownbetter than himself that the first cast of dice had been alreadythrown long ago in a most desperate game. Distantacclamations, words of command yelled out, and a roll ofdrums on the jetty greeted the departing general. Somethinglike a slight faintness came over her, and she lookedblankly at Antonia’s still face, wondering what would happento Charley if that absurd man failed. ‘A la casa, Ignacio,’she cried at the motionless broad back of the coachman,who gathered the reins without haste, mumbling to himselfunder his breath, ‘Si, la casa. Si, si nina.’