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

ticle to him and the force he has organized—the renownedCarabineers of the Campo.’Captain Mitchell’s guest, staring curiously, would seea figure in a long-tailed black coat walking gravely, withdowncast eyelids in a long, composed face, a brow furrowedhorizontally, a pointed head, whose grey hair, thin at thetop, combed down carefully on all sides and rolled at theends, fell low on the neck and shoulders. This, then, wasthe famous bandit of whom Europe had heard with interest.He put on a high-crowned sombrero with a wide flat brim;a rosary of wooden beads was twisted about his right wrist.And Captain Mitchell would proceed—‘The protector of the Sulaco refugees from the rage of Pedrito.As general of cavalry with Barrios he distinguishedhimself at the storming of Tonoro, where Senor Fuenteswas killed with the last remnant of the Monterists. He is thefriend and humble servant of Bishop Corbelan. Hears threeMasses every day. I bet you he will step into the cathedral tosay a prayer or two on his way home to his siesta.’He took several puffs at his cigar in silence; then, in hismost important manner, pronounced:‘The Spanish race, sir, is prolific of remarkable charactersin every rank of life…. I propose we go now into the billiardroom,which is cool, for a quiet chat. There’s never anybodythere till after five. I could tell you episodes of the Separationistrevolution that would astonish you. When the greatheat’s over, we’ll take a turn on the Alameda.’The programme went on relentless, like a law of Nature.The turn on the Alameda was taken with slow steps and