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

eyes, and in a tempestuous voice, by Guzman Bento. Theold tyrant, maddened by one of his sudden accesses of suspicion,mingled spluttering appeals to their fidelity withimprecations and horrible menaces. The cells and casementsof the castle on the hill had been already filled withprisoners. The commission was charged now with the taskof discovering the iniquitous conspiracy against the Citizen-Saviourof his country.Their dread of the raving tyrant translated itself into ahasty ferocity of procedure. The Citizen-Saviour was notaccustomed to wait. A conspiracy had to be discovered. Thecourtyards of the castle resounded with the clanking ofleg-irons, sounds of blows, yells of pain; and the commissionof high officers laboured feverishly, concealing theirdistress and apprehensions from each other, and especiallyfrom their secretary, Father Beron, an army chaplain, atthat time very much in the confidence of the Citizen-Saviour.That priest was a big round-shouldered man, with anunclean-looking, overgrown tonsure on the top of his flathead, of a dingy, yellow complexion, softly fat, with greasystains all down the front of his lieutenant’s uniform, and asmall cross embroidered in white cotton on his left breast.He had a heavy nose and a pendant lip. Dr. Monygham rememberedhim still. He remembered him against all theforce of his will striving its utmost to forget. Father Beronhad been adjoined to the commission by Guzman Bentoexpressly for the purpose that his enlightened zeal shouldassist them in their labours. Dr. Monygham could by nomanner of means forget the zeal of Father Beron, or his face,