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

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

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his bro<strong>the</strong>r was master <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> country, whe<strong>the</strong>r as President,Dictator, or even as Emperor—why not as an Emperor?—hemeant to demand a share in every enterprise—in railways,in mines, in sugar estates, in cotton mills, in land companies,in each and every undertaking—as <strong>the</strong> price <strong>of</strong> hisprotection. The desire to be on <strong>the</strong> spot early was <strong>the</strong> realcause <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> celebrated ride over <strong>the</strong> mountains with sometwo hundred llaneros, an enterprise <strong>of</strong> which <strong>the</strong> dangershad not appeared at first clearly to his impatience. Comingfrom a series <strong>of</strong> victories, it seemed to him that a Monterohad only to appear to be master <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> situation. This illusionhad betrayed him into a rashness <strong>of</strong> which he wasbecoming aware. As he rode at <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> his llaneros heregretted that <strong>the</strong>re were so few <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m. The enthusiasm<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> populace reassured him. They yelled ‘Viva Montero!Viva Pedrito!’ In order to make <strong>the</strong>m still more enthusiastic,and from <strong>the</strong> natural pleasure he had in dissembling, hedropped <strong>the</strong> reins on his horse’s neck, and with a tremendouseffect <strong>of</strong> familiarity and confidence slipped his handsunder <strong>the</strong> arms <strong>of</strong> Senores Fuentes and Gamacho. In thatposture, with a ragged town mozo holding his horse by <strong>the</strong>bridle, he rode triumphantly across <strong>the</strong> Plaza to <strong>the</strong> door<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Intendencia. Its old gloomy walls seemed to shake in<strong>the</strong> acclamations that rent <strong>the</strong> air and covered <strong>the</strong> crashingpeals <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ca<strong>the</strong>dral bells.Pedro Montero, <strong>the</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> general, dismountedinto a shouting and perspiring throng <strong>of</strong> enthusiasts whom<strong>the</strong> ragged Nationals were pushing back fiercely. Ascendinga few steps he surveyed <strong>the</strong> large crowd gaping at him.

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