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

angry and threatening voice, ordered him forward. Hirschwas one of those men whom fear lashes like a whip, and hemust have had an appalling idea of the Capataz’s ferocity.He displayed an extraordinary agility in disappearing forwardinto the darkness. They heard him getting over thetarpaulin; then there was the sound of a heavy fall, followedby a weary sigh. Afterwards all was still in the fore-part ofthe lighter, as though he had killed himself in his headlongtumble. Nostromo shouted in a menacing voice—‘Lie still there! Do not move a limb. If I hear as much as aloud breath from you I shall come over there and put a bulletthrough your head.’The mere presence of a coward, however passive,brings an element of treachery into a dangerous situation.Nostromo’s nervous impatience passed into gloomythoughtfulness. Decoud, in an undertone, as if speaking tohimself, remarked that, after all, this bizarre event made nogreat difference. He could not conceive what harm the mancould do. At most he would be in the way, like an inanimateand useless object—like a block of wood, for instance.‘I would think twice before getting rid of a piece of wood,’said Nostromo, calmly. ‘Something may happen unexpectedlywhere you could make use of it. But in an affair likeours a man like this ought to be thrown overboard. Even ifhe were as brave as a lion we would not want him here. Weare not running away for our lives. Senor, there is no harmin a brave man trying to save himself with ingenuity andcourage; but you have heard his tale, Don Martin. His beinghere is a miracle of fear—‘ Nostromo paused. ‘There is no