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

She made an energetic gesture of negation. A silence fell.‘Oh, yes, I know it’s contrary to the doctrine laid downin the ‘History of Fifty Years’ Misrule.’ I am only trying tobe sensible. But my sense seems always to give you cause foroffence. Have I startled you very much with this perfectlyreasonable aspiration?’She shook her head. No, she was not startled, but theidea shocked her early convictions. Her patriotism waslarger. She had never considered that possibility.‘It may yet be the means of saving some of your convictions,’he said, prophetically.She did not answer. She seemed tired. They leaned sideby side on the rail of the little balcony, very friendly, havingexhausted politics, giving themselves up to the silent feelingof their nearness, in one of those profound pauses that fallupon the rhythm of passion. Towards the plaza end of thestreet the glowing coals in the brazeros of the market womencooking their evening meal gleamed red along the edge ofthe pavement. A man appeared without a sound in the lightof a street lamp, showing the coloured inverted triangle ofhis bordered poncho, square on his shoulders, hanging to apoint below his knees. From the harbour end of the Calle ahorseman walked his soft-stepping mount, gleaming silvergreyabreast each lamp under the dark shape of the rider.‘Behold the illustrious Capataz de Cargadores,’ said Decoud,gently, ‘coming in all his splendour after his work isdone. The next great man of Sulaco after Don Carlos Gould.But he is good-natured, and let me make friends with him.’‘Ah, indeed!’ said Antonia. ‘How did you make friends?’