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

ments and barren tasks for the people.The Capataz picked up the spade, and with the feel of thehandle in his palm the desire of having a look at the horsehideboxes of treasure came upon him suddenly. In a veryfew strokes he uncovered the edges and corners of several;then, clearing away more earth, became aware that one ofthem had been slashed with a knife.He exclaimed at that discovery in a stifled voice, anddropped on his knees with a look of irrational apprehensionover one shoulder, then over the other. The stiff hide hadclosed, and he hesitated before he pushed his hand throughthe long slit and felt the ingots inside. There they were. One,two, three. Yes, four gone. Taken away. Four ingots. Butwho? Decoud? Nobody else. And why? For what purpose?For what cursed fancy? Let him explain. Four ingots carriedoff in a boat, and—blood!In the face of the open gulf, the sun, clear, unclouded,unaltered, plunged into the waters in a grave and untroubledmystery of self-immolation consummated far from allmortal eyes, with an infinite majesty of silence and peace.Four ingots short!—and blood!The Capataz got up slowly.‘He might simply have cut his hand,’ he muttered. ‘But,then——‘He sat down on the soft earth, unresisting, as if he hadbeen chained to the treasure, his drawn-up legs clasped inhis hands with an air of hopeless submission, like a slave seton guard. Once only he lifted his head smartly: the rattle ofhot musketry fire had reached his ears, like pouring from