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

membered that much. What do you want more? He knewleast about himself. They found him clinging to their anchor.He must have caught at it just as the lighter went tothe bottom.’‘Went to the bottom?’ repeated Nostromo, slowly. ‘Sotillobelieves that? Bueno!’The doctor, a little impatiently, was unable to imaginewhat else could anybody believe. Yes, Sotillo believed thatthe lighter was sunk, and the Capataz de Cargadores, togetherwith Martin Decoud and perhaps one or two otherpolitical fugitives, had been drowned.‘I told you well, senor doctor,’ remarked Nostromo at thatpoint, ‘that Sotillo did not know everything.’‘Eh? What do you mean?’‘He did not know I was not dead.’‘Neither did we.’‘And you did not care—none of you caballeros on thewharf—once you got off a man of flesh and blood like yourselveson a fool’s business that could not end well.’‘You forget, Capataz, I was not on the wharf. And I didnot think well of the business. So you need not taunt me. Itell you what, man, we had but little leisure to think of thedead. Death stands near behind us all. You were gone.’‘I went, indeed!’ broke in Nostromo. ‘And for the sake ofwhat—tell me?’‘Ah! that is your own affair,’ the doctor said, roughly. ‘Donot ask me.’Their flowing murmurs paused in the dark. Perched onthe edge of the table with slightly averted faces, they felt