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whole day.’ He drew himself up haughtily, and made a signfor Captain Mitchell to be led away.‘What about my watch?’ cried Captain Mitchell, hangingback from the efforts of the men pulling him towardsthe door.Sotillo turned to his officers. ‘No! But only listen to thispicaro, caballeros,’ he pronounced with affected scorn, andwas answered by a chorus of derisive laughter. ‘He demandshis watch!’ … He ran up again to Captain Mitchell, for thedesire to relieve his feelings by inflicting blows and painupon this Englishman was very strong within him. ‘Yourwatch! You are a prisoner in war time, Mitchell! In wartime! You have no rights and no property! Caramba! Thevery breath in your body belongs to me. Remember that.’‘Bosh!’ said Captain Mitchell, concealing a disagreeableimpression.Down below, in a great hall, with the earthen floor andwith a tall mound thrown up by white ants in a corner, thesoldiers had kindled a small fire with broken chairs andtables near the arched gateway, through which the faintmurmur of the harbour waters on the beach could be heard.While Captain Mitchell was being led down the staircase,an officer passed him, running up to report to Sotillo thecapture of more prisoners. A lot of smoke hung about in thevast gloomy place, the fire crackled, and, as if through a haze,Captain Mitchell made out, surrounded by short soldierswith fixed bayonets, the heads of three tall prisoners—thedoctor, the engineer-in-chief, and the white leonine maneof old Viola, who stood half-turned away from the others
with his chin on his breast and his arms crossed. Mitchell’sastonishment knew no bounds. He cried out; the other twoexclaimed also. But he hurried on, diagonally, across the bigcavern-like hall. Lots of thoughts, surmises, hints of caution,and so on, crowded his head to distraction.‘Is he actually keeping you?’ shouted the chief engineer,whose single eyeglass glittered in the firelight.An officer from the top of the stairs was shouting urgently,‘Bring them all up—all three.’In the clamour of voices and the rattle of arms, CaptainMitchell made himself heard imperfectly: ‘By heavens! thefellow has stolen my watch.’The engineer-in-chief on the staircase resisted the pressurelong enough to shout, ‘What? What did you say?’‘My chronometer!’ Captain Mitchell yelled violently atthe very moment of being thrust head foremost through asmall door into a sort of cell, perfectly black, and so narrowthat he fetched up against the opposite wall. The door hadbeen instantly slammed. He knew where they had put him.This was the strong room of the Custom House, whencethe silver had been removed only a few hours earlier. It wasalmost as narrow as a corridor, with a small square aperture,barred by a heavy grating, at the distant end. CaptainMitchell staggered for a few steps, then sat down on theearthen floor with his back to the wall. Nothing, not evena gleam of light from anywhere, interfered with CaptainMitchell’s meditation. He did some hard but not very extensivethinking. It was not of a gloomy cast. The old sailor,with all his small weaknesses and absurdities, was consti-
Page 1 and 2:
Nostromo: A Taleof the SeaboardBy J
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AUTHOR’S NOTE‘NOSTROMO’ is th
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him: ‘What’s to prevent me repo
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Misrule.’ That work was never pub
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ter the usual exordium of his remor
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invective. She did not quite unders
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CHAPTER ONEIN THE time of Spanish r
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the sky above a razor-backed ridge
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At night the body of clouds advanci
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CHAPTER TWOTHE only sign of commerc
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ject with studied negligence.‘Smi
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against the rushes of the rabble, t
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Mitchell, after directing the comma
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CHAPTER THREEIT MIGHT have been sai
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ing fowls, pounding corn in wooden
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It was trying to the nerves. Old Vi
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The children kneeling on the floor
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Linda raised her eyes to her face f
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fumes floated upwards in sunshine,
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while the negro brakesmen sat carel
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ters of her hair, and the eyelashes
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Italian—the publication of the Br
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Giorgio’s old age. It cast a gloo
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CHAPTER FIVEIN THIS way only was th
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out-of-the-way place Sulaco is!—a
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aristocratic old Spanish families,
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showed some talent as guerilla chie
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could set in motion mighty machines
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face, a pair of eyes gazing straigh
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not connected with Nostromo, and in
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here. And I suppose they are homesi
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swift pasotrote, straight out of so
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Perhaps he had just dismounted on h
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Worked in the early days mostly by
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with many arguments and entreaties,
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a votre bonhomme—entendez-vous?
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teen, a matter of prime importance
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a personal point of view, too, as o
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‘That’s different. I’ve been
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and generosity, had the fastidious
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with that girl, and his mind of the
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aspect of the world.The latest phas
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fat coachman sat muffled up on the
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mine by the hour with her husband w
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face, and his whole, long-limbed, l
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thought that no one could know her
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there was an implication of calm an
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on facts; and Charles Gould, whose
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lip is what you’ll want; and you
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inaccessible to profane eyes. Some
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me whether his talk is the voice of
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stairs, and before he gave her the
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the heat of the day, she rode on a
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of lust between bands of absurd dev
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ents must have been great, after al
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tercourse was to strike as offensiv
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When in Sulaco it was his practice
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enclosures within the old ramparts,
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Thus professionally spoke Don Pepe,
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sword and in a shabby uniform with
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first, in a pointed straw hat, then
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dying on hillsides, in the long gra
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and weight, would be caught up by t
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ment. From the heavy family coaches
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had been fitted out; a price had be
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fore she had settled in her town-ho
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gling spurs and riding-whip under h
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the white gleam of ranging eyes; an
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at the end of his rule (which had k
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were badly wanted for this great de
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Chief of the State Costaguana had e
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which I, having been in my time acc
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Going ashore in the same boat with
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carriage, who returned smiles and f
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murs of recognition and obsequious
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‘Is that true?’ she cooed, joyo
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Nostromo, the Mediterranean sailor
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PART SECONDThe Isabels
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The harbour was busy, too, with the
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ing company of nearly naked skeleto
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It was the rule for all the women o
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cific mandate to establish the pros
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much of the ignominy of the situati
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could unsettle the public opinion i
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in Tonoro. They had come to offer h
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otic send-off. It was not his part
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of a lover ensconced in a doorway o
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tion to become a poet like that oth
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‘It’s like a tile falling on my
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formed that she ventured to treat s
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‘I am inexpressibly grateful for
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French language. The big black lett
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thick stick. No! He had earned enou
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costume caused by the anxious lende
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ars of a strong wooden cage. Si, se
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The carriage rolled noiselessly on
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‘Yes,’ muttered old Viola, sava
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‘I shall want a horse presently,
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shriek, and Decoud, from his back s
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ciple is old.’He ruminated his di
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of feminine and intimate delicacy.D
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aising her hand. After a time he wh
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Decoud talking publicly with Antoni
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make war you may retreat, but not w
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and all his Negro Liberals hanging
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She made an energetic gesture of ne
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have ploughed the sea.’ He did no
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first pause. Their comparative isol
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Jose Avellanos. Don Jose, lifting u
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have carried so far, though there w
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something unlawful behind his pries
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for reparation from a penitent coun
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‘Very well,’ he agreed with the
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the skirt of his soutane at each en
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confirmatory word, a grunt of assen
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sign, made no sound. The impenetrab
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so.’ And now he was going. It was
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stairs, where the Madonna with the
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there was to say a long time ago. T
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upon the great bare wall. ‘It is
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Decoud affected suddenly the utmost
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country, whatever Father Corbelan m
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ceptibilities, and at the present m
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do no harm. And it was quite possib
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sentimentalists to deal with.’‘
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iously.‘Upon the whole,’ he con
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CHAPTER SEVENIT WAS part of what De
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death. That man seems to have a par
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for that, senor?’ Then it dawned
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dismantled houses acquired by the C
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vaguely about him, then dropped int
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man or beast,’ said the girl, pas
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holding a bottle, and sobbing gentl
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handfuls of type, blown in the wind
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it were to an assembly of trained m
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clothed in the fair robes of an ide
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emaining forces had melted away dur
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‘Never mind, there is no lack of
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holds to it as some men hold to the
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humanity.‘He joined me on the har
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the paper was going through the pre
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‘Teresa wants to see you, Nostrom
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for the glow of a heap of charcoal
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and hopes, had a great regard for h
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the one which they say is guarded b
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the stairs backwards, with the usua
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‘What bargain would your worship
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‘We are out in the gulf now,’ s
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In the featureless night Nostromo w
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and years to come. And yet, the day
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er. No, senor; there is no rest til
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the sensations awaked by what he ha
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was limp—lifeless.The light of th
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shouts and imprecations, looking fo
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angry and threatening voice, ordere
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had been making use of him, had tri
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‘They are trying to make out wher
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a naked mast. I will do it now, bef
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windows of the houses, and showing
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mism. In comparison to it, the chan
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daylight? He began to think that th
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him, and Barrios, with a rude and j
Page 325 and 326: intoxicated, and proceeded on their
Page 327 and 328: This was the first time Nostromo an
Page 329 and 330: would have passed on, leaving the l
Page 331 and 332: the breast of Senor Hirsch, who sim
Page 333 and 334: in aim, in view, in character, and
Page 335 and 336: I was in love with. Poor Teresa cou
Page 337 and 338: one of the two spades which belonge
Page 339 and 340: Nostromo detected the ironic tone.
Page 341 and 342: certainly before noon Sotillo would
Page 343 and 344: PART THIRDTHE LIGHTHOUSE
Page 345 and 346: of those imported workmen with the
Page 347 and 348: losing party. But I did not tell th
Page 349 and 350: of the far interior where the great
Page 351 and 352: ing by himself. I shall be sorry.
Page 353 and 354: story that will never grow old. Tha
Page 355 and 356: the treasure was of enormous import
Page 357 and 358: the wall, and narrow enough to be d
Page 359 and 360: the engineer. ‘When this question
Page 361 and 362: CHAPTER TWOCAPTAIN MITCHELL, pacing
Page 363 and 364: ecome the prey in person and fortun
Page 365 and 366: infuriated. Captain Mitchell, howev
Page 367 and 368: The long building was surrounded by
Page 369 and 370: ing half a hundred-weight of sand.
Page 371 and 372: and had been dragged along for some
Page 373 and 374: es, wanting in the misty idealism o
Page 375: tain Mitchell could meet the realit
Page 379 and 380: founded fellow get wind of the affa
Page 381 and 382: was sitting at the foot of the bed,
Page 383 and 384: their eyes on the doctor. But at th
Page 385 and 386: dark.‘Yes, that is exactly what I
Page 387 and 388: friend’s character is not my idea
Page 389 and 390: Only the slight limping shuffle cou
Page 391 and 392: tance.’Captain Mitchell was very
Page 393 and 394: creased. The guerrillero brother of
Page 395 and 396: saw the irony of it. Father Corbela
Page 397 and 398: drowning man catches at a straw. Fa
Page 399 and 400: over his shoulder.‘Drive carefull
Page 401 and 402: with the sergeant’s stripes on th
Page 403 and 404: day to join the democrats. We are g
Page 405 and 406: to turn, where the only chance of s
Page 407 and 408: his back against the rim of the fou
Page 409 and 410: had planned revolutions, who had be
Page 411 and 412: efusing, almost touched by the anxi
Page 413 and 414: senora had given into her charge th
Page 415 and 416: eyes, and in a tempestuous voice, b
Page 417 and 418: make a full confession, Father Bero
Page 419 and 420: fetters were struck off by the ligh
Page 421 and 422: of account the safety of her husban
Page 423 and 424: cident had brought to a point all t
Page 425 and 426: ‘Antonia will kill herself!’ sh
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the cathedral. Three single strokes
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CHAPTER FIVEDURING the night the ex
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duplicity and cunning, together wit
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court, and had conceived the idea o
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and the bullet-speckled walls of th
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‘The brute!’ observed his Excel
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cho howled with conviction, was the
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patrol duty, strolling, carbine in
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Don Pepe, in a mild and humorous vo
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the hammock. With less confidence,
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ecause whatever happened his honour
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CHAPTER SEVENAT ABOUT that time, in
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(which were accessible to His Excel
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as a great captain of industry and
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on the table.‘You will have to ta
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gadores could have been employed wi
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the Custom House, appeared lonely,
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CHAPTER EIGHTAFTER landing from his
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the cupolas, towers, and miradors r
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as a boy on one of these feluccas b
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made a few steps, then stopped agai
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Sharing in the anti-priestly freeth
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sensible his profound isolation. Hi
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meditating—or, perhaps, reading a
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ing his lips slightly, and not look
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der-blades. From there his eyes tra
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membered that much. What do you wan
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where he would be of the greatest u
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ought never to have left the mounta
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pest in his ears in time to hear th
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‘Am I to understand, senor,’ No
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such a fool as when I started. I ha
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CHAPTER NINEDISTRACTED between doub
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that treasure, for that wealth of s
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come entangled in a perfect welter
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Complete silence. He quaked. It was
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whose one end was fastened to Senor
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its mouth closed askew. The colonel
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any future treacheries of that scou
Page 505 and 506:
He was absolutely the only one. The
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You are safe because you are needed
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‘I don’t know,’ burst out the
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Sotillo.’And Dr. Monygham stopped
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no divers, but he has a ship, boats
Page 515 and 516:
Custom House, before he managed to
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laying about you with a stick among
Page 519 and 520:
had left it twenty-four hours befor
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keen blade piercing his breast.The
Page 523 and 524:
decaying strength.He extended his h
Page 525 and 526:
The Capataz drank greedily. A sligh
Page 527 and 528:
CHAPTER TENTHE next day was quiet i
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lish, French, Italians, all sorts
Page 531 and 532:
of his safe. It was even for that s
Page 533 and 534:
priest, everlastingly worrying the
Page 535 and 536:
ticle to him and the force he has o
Page 537 and 538:
see framed under glass in the Munic
Page 539 and 540:
the land gate, was not able to oppo
Page 541 and 542:
do?’ ‘You know very well I was,
Page 543 and 544:
confines of waking and sleep with r
Page 545 and 546:
they thought up to the last on that
Page 547 and 548:
Ha! ha! ha! He wants me to admit th
Page 549 and 550:
without loss of time and undetected
Page 551 and 552:
ments and barren tasks for the peop
Page 553 and 554:
endary treasure.At the end of his f
Page 555 and 556:
universe as a succession of incompr
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dark, he ceased rowing and flung th
Page 559 and 560:
He had made up his mind that nothin
Page 561 and 562:
CHAPTER ELEVENSULACO outstripped No
Page 563 and 564:
ing tenderness.‘Don’t expect to
Page 565 and 566:
the Bolson de Tonoro. And the heroi
Page 567 and 568:
Gould. She had brought her uncle ov
Page 569 and 570:
him that position? Who can say? Gen
Page 571 and 572:
know how really good you are. You w
Page 573 and 574:
that incorruptible Capataz. Moreove
Page 575 and 576:
the Violas. As late as midnight at
Page 577 and 578:
an old negro, who had been sitting
Page 579 and 580:
Gould added to the grace of her sea
Page 581 and 582:
success for the last of the Goulds.
Page 583 and 584:
qualities was destroyed. He felt it
Page 585 and 586:
ed and feared Captain Fidanza, the
Page 587 and 588:
made for himself, under his rightfu
Page 589 and 590:
He went to see his friend Captain M
Page 591 and 592:
A sudden dread came upon the fearle
Page 593 and 594:
you for the earth to become empty t
Page 595 and 596:
her raised eyes remained fixed on n
Page 597 and 598:
‘Be allowed to listen to your Ram
Page 599 and 600:
his little flower.It had grown dark
Page 601 and 602:
and the triumphant excitement of hi
Page 603 and 604:
‘Where is it? Where? Tell me that
Page 605 and 606:
There was something in that immobil
Page 607 and 608:
CHAPTER THIRTEENON THE day Mrs. Gou
Page 609 and 610:
hills, for which we are starving ou
Page 611 and 612:
Linda had a good share of the Viola
Page 613 and 614:
ious and shameless innocence with k
Page 615 and 616:
stairs. At the moment of opening th
Page 617 and 618:
sala. The prosperous majordomo rema
Page 619 and 620:
has something to say to you alone.
Page 621 and 622:
aim. I myself could have done no be
Page 623 and 624:
lost for ever.’After hearing thes
Page 625 and 626:
photographer, small, frail, bloodth
Page 627:
‘You have killed Gian’ Battista
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