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

Thus Captain Mitchell would talk in the middle of thePlaza, holding over his head a white umbrella with a greenlining; but inside the cathedral, in the dim light, with a faintscent of incense floating in the cool atmosphere, and hereand there a kneeling female figure, black or all white, with aveiled head, his lowered voice became solemn and impressive.‘Here,’ he would say, pointing to a niche in the wall of thedusky aisle, ‘you see the bust of Don Jose Avellanos, ‘Patriotand Statesman,’ as the inscription says, ‘Minister toCourts of England and Spain, etc., etc., died in the woodsof Los Hatos worn out with his lifelong struggle for Rightand Justice at the dawn of the New Era.’ A fair likeness.Parrochetti’s work from some old photographs and a pencilsketch by Mrs. Gould. I was well acquainted with thatdistinguished Spanish-American of the old school, a trueHidalgo, beloved by everybody who knew him. The marblemedallion in the wall, in the antique style, representing aveiled woman seated with her hands clasped loosely overher knees, commemorates that unfortunate young gentlemanwho sailed out with Nostromo on that fatal night,sir. See, ‘To the memory of Martin Decoud, his betrothedAntonia Avellanos.’ Frank, simple, noble. There you havethat lady, sir, as she is. An exceptional woman. Those whothought she would give way to despair were mistaken, sir.She has been blamed in many quarters for not having takenthe veil. It was expected of her. But Dona Antonia is not thestuff they make nuns of. Bishop Corbelan, her uncle, liveswith her in the Corbelan town house. He is a fierce sort of