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

Mrs. Gould sat up, opening her eyes very wide.‘What do you mean, Dr. Monygham? Do you mean to saythat you suspect the younger sister?’‘Quien sabe! Who can tell?’ said the doctor, shrugginghis shoulders like a born Costaguanero. ‘Ramirez came upto me on the wharf. He reeled—he looked insane. He tookhis head into his hands. He had to talk to someone—simplyhad to. Of course for all his mad state he recognized me.People know me well here. I have lived too long amongstthem to be anything else but the evil-eyed doctor, who cancure all the ills of the flesh, and bring bad luck by a glance.He came up to me. He tried to be calm. He tried to make itout that he wanted merely to warn me against Nostromo. Itseems that Captain Fidanza at some secret meeting or otherhad mentioned me as the worst despiser of all the poor—ofthe people. It’s very possible. He honours me with his undyingdislike. And a word from the great Fidanza may be quiteenough to send some fool’s knife into my back. The SanitaryCommission I preside over is not in favour with thepopulace. ‘Beware of him, senor doctor. Destroy him, senordoctor,’ Ramirez hissed right into my face. And then hebroke out. ‘That man,’ he spluttered, ‘has cast a spell uponboth these girls.’ As to himself, he had said too much. Hemust run away now—run away and hide somewhere. Hemoaned tenderly about Giselle, and then called her namesthat cannot be repeated. If he thought she could be madeto love him by any means, he would carry her off from theisland. Off into the woods. But it was no good…. He strodeaway, flourishing his arms above his head. Then I noticed