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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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The doctor lowered his head. He could follow her silentthought. Was it for this that her life had been robbed <strong>of</strong> all<strong>the</strong> intimate felicities <strong>of</strong> daily affection which her tendernessneeded as <strong>the</strong> human body needs air to brea<strong>the</strong>? And<strong>the</strong> doctor, indignant with Charles Gould’s blindness, hastenedto change <strong>the</strong> conversation.‘It is about <strong>Nostromo</strong> that I wanted to talk to you. Ah!that fellow has some continuity and force. Nothing will putan end to him. But never mind that. There’s something inexplicablegoing on—or perhaps only too easy to explain.You know, Linda is practically <strong>the</strong> lighthouse keeper <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Great Isabel light. The Garibaldino is too old now. His partis to clean <strong>the</strong> lamps and to cook in <strong>the</strong> house; but he can’tget up <strong>the</strong> stairs any longer. The black-eyed Linda sleeps allday and watches <strong>the</strong> light all night. Not all day, though. Sheis up towards five in <strong>the</strong> afternoon, when our <strong>Nostromo</strong>,whenever he is in harbour with his schooner, comes out onhis courting visit, pulling in a small boat.’‘Aren’t <strong>the</strong>y married yet?’ Mrs. Gould asked. ‘The mo<strong>the</strong>rwished it, as far as I can understand, while Linda was yetquite a child. When I had <strong>the</strong> girls with me for a year orso during <strong>the</strong> War <strong>of</strong> Separation, that extraordinary Lindaused to declare quite simply that she was going to be Gian’Battista’s wife.’‘They are not married yet,’ said <strong>the</strong> doctor, curtly. ‘I havelooked after <strong>the</strong>m a little.’‘Thank you, dear Dr. Monygham,’ said Mrs. Gould;and under <strong>the</strong> shade <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> big trees her little, even teethgleamed in a youthful smile <strong>of</strong> gentle malice. ‘People don’t

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