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apprehensively. Three women—of whom one was carryinga child—and a couple of men in civilian dress—one armedwith a sabre and another with a gun—were grouped abouta donkey carrying two bundles tied up in blankets. Furtheron Ignacio shouted again to pass a carreta, a long woodenbox on two high wheels, with the door at the back swingingopen. Some ladies in it must have recognized the whitemules, because they screamed out, ‘Is it you, Dona Emilia?’At the turn of the road the glare of a big fire filled theshort stretch vaulted over by the branches meeting overhead.Near the ford of a shallow stream a roadside ranchoof woven rushes and a roof of grass had been set on fire byaccident, and the flames, roaring viciously, lit up an openspace blocked with horses, mules, and a distracted, shoutingcrowd of people. When Ignacio pulled up, several ladieson foot assailed the carriage, begging Antonia for a seat. Totheir clamour she answered by pointing silently to her father.‘I must leave you here,’ said Charles Gould, in the uproar.The flames leaped up sky-high, and in the recoil fromthe scorching heat across the road the stream of fugitivespressed against the carriage. A middle-aged lady dressedin black silk, but with a coarse manta over her head and arough branch for a stick in her hand, staggered against thefront wheel. Two young girls, frightened and silent, wereclinging to her arms. Charles Gould knew her very well.‘Misericordia! We are getting terribly bruised in thiscrowd!’ she exclaimed, smiling up courageously to him.‘We have started on foot. All our servants ran away yester-
day to join the democrats. We are going to put ourselvesunder the protection of Father Corbelan, of your sainteduncle, Antonia. He has wrought a miracle in the heart of amost merciless robber. A miracle!’She raised her voice gradually up to a scream as she wasborne along by the pressure of people getting out of the wayof some carts coming up out of the ford at a gallop, withloud yells and cracking of whips. Great masses of sparksmingled with black smoke flew over the road; the bamboosof the walls detonated in the fire with the sound of an irregularfusillade. And then the bright blaze sank suddenly,leaving only a red dusk crowded with aimless dark shadowsdrifting in contrary directions; the noise of voices seemedto die away with the flame; and the tumult of heads, arms,quarrelling, and imprecations passed on fleeing into thedarkness.‘I must leave you now,’ repeated Charles Gould to Antonia.She turned her head slowly and uncovered her face. Theemissary and compadre of Hernandez spurred his horseclose up.‘Has not the master of the mine any message to send toHernandez, the master of the Campo?’The truth of the comparison struck Charles Gould heavily.In his determined purpose he held the mine, and theindomitable bandit held the Campo by the same precarioustenure. They were equals before the lawlessness of theland. It was impossible to disentangle one’s activity fromits debasing contacts. A close-meshed net of crime andcorruption lay upon the whole country. An immense and
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
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intoxicated, and proceeded on their
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This was the first time Nostromo an
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would have passed on, leaving the l
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the breast of Senor Hirsch, who sim
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in aim, in view, in character, and
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I was in love with. Poor Teresa cou
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one of the two spades which belonge
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Nostromo detected the ironic tone.
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certainly before noon Sotillo would
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PART THIRDTHE LIGHTHOUSE
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of those imported workmen with the
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losing party. But I did not tell th
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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 and 376: tain Mitchell could meet the realit
Page 377 and 378: with his chin on his breast and his
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: with the sergeant’s stripes on th
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
Page 427 and 428: the cathedral. Three single strokes
Page 429 and 430: CHAPTER FIVEDURING the night the ex
Page 431 and 432: duplicity and cunning, together wit
Page 433 and 434: court, and had conceived the idea o
Page 435 and 436: and the bullet-speckled walls of th
Page 437 and 438: ‘The brute!’ observed his Excel
Page 439 and 440: cho howled with conviction, was the
Page 441 and 442: patrol duty, strolling, carbine in
Page 443 and 444: Don Pepe, in a mild and humorous vo
Page 445 and 446: the hammock. With less confidence,
Page 447 and 448: ecause whatever happened his honour
Page 449 and 450: CHAPTER SEVENAT ABOUT that time, in
Page 451 and 452: (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
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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
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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
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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
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of his safe. It was even for that s
Page 533 and 534:
priest, everlastingly worrying the
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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
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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
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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.
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aim. I myself could have done no be
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lost for ever.’After hearing thes
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photographer, small, frail, bloodth
Page 627:
‘You have killed Gian’ Battista
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