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

intoxicated, and proceeded on their mission up the streetyelling and firing random shots at the windows. This littlefestivity, which might have turned out dangerous to the telegraphist’slife, enabled him in the end to send his warningto Sulaco. The lieutenant, staggering upstairs with a drawnsabre, was before long kissing him on both cheeks in one ofthose swift changes of mood peculiar to a state of drunkenness.He clasped the telegraphist close round the neck,assuring him that all the officers of the Esmeralda garrisonwere going to be made colonels, while tears of happinessstreamed down his sodden face. Thus it came about thatthe town major, coming along later, found the whole partysleeping on the stairs and in passages, and the telegraphist(who scorned this chance of escape) very busy clicking thekey of the transmitter. The major led him away bareheaded,with his hands tied behind his back, but concealed thetruth from Sotillo, who remained in ignorance of the warningdespatched to Sulaco.The colonel was not the man to let any sort of darknessstand in the way of the planned surprise. It appeared to hima dead certainty; his heart was set upon his object with anungovernable, childlike impatience. Ever since the steamerhad rounded Punta Mala, to enter the deeper shadow of thegulf, he had remained on the bridge in a group of officersas excited as himself. Distracted between the coaxings andmenaces of Sotillo and his Staff, the miserable commanderof the steamer kept her moving with as much prudence asthey would let him exercise. Some of them had been drinkingheavily, no doubt; but the prospect of laying hands on