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

Meantime, the exodus had begun. Carretas full of ladiesand children rolled swaying across the Plaza, with menwalking or riding by their side; mounted parties followedon mules and horses; the poorest were setting out on foot,men and women carrying bundles, clasping babies in theirarms, leading old people, dragging along the bigger children.When Charles Gould, after leaving the doctor and theengineer at the Casa Viola, entered the town by the harbourgate, all those that had meant to go were gone, and the othershad barricaded themselves in their houses. In the wholedark street there was only one spot of flickering lights andmoving figures, where the Senor Administrador recognizedhis wife’s carriage waiting at the door of the Avellanos’shouse. He rode up, almost unnoticed, and looked on withouta word while some of his own servants came out of thegate carrying Don Jose Avellanos, who, with closed eyesand motionless features, appeared perfectly lifeless. Hiswife and Antonia walked on each side of the improvisedstretcher, which was put at once into the carriage. The twowomen embraced; while from the other side of the landauFather Corbelan’s emissary, with his ragged beard allstreaked with grey, and high, bronzed cheek-bones, stared,sitting upright in the saddle. Then Antonia, dry-eyed, gotin by the side of the stretcher, and, after making the signof the cross rapidly, lowered a thick veil upon her face. Theservants and the three or four neighbours who had cometo assist, stood back, uncovering their heads. On the box,Ignacio, resigned now to driving all night (and to havingperhaps his throat cut before daylight) looked back surlily