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

aising her hand. After a time he whispered passionately—‘Antonia!’She smiled, and extended her hand after the Englishmanner towards Charles Gould, who was bowing beforeher; while Decoud, with his elbows spread on the back ofthe sofa, dropped his eyes and murmured, ‘Bonjour.’The Senor Administrador of the San Tome mine bentover his wife for a moment. They exchanged a few words,of which only the phrase, ‘The greatest enthusiasm,’ pronouncedby Mrs. Gould, could be heard.‘Yes,’ Decoud began in a murmur. ‘Even he!’‘This is sheer calumny,’ said Antonia, not very severely.‘You just ask him to throw his mine into the melting-potfor the great cause,’ Decoud whispered.Don Jose had raised his voice. He rubbed his hands cheerily.The excellent aspect of the troops and the great quantityof new deadly rifles on the shoulders of those brave menseemed to fill him with an ecstatic confidence.Charles Gould, very tall and thin before his chair, listened,but nothing could be discovered in his face except akind and deferential attention.Meantime, Antonia had risen, and, crossing the room,stood looking out of one of the three long windows givingon the street. Decoud followed her. The window was thrownopen, and he leaned against the thickness of the wall. Thelong folds of the damask curtain, falling straight from thebroad brass cornice, hid him partly from the room. He foldedhis arms on his breast, and looked steadily at Antonia’sprofile.