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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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wanted to show that he was equal yet to <strong>the</strong> task <strong>of</strong> guardingalone <strong>the</strong> honour <strong>of</strong> his house.<strong>Nostromo</strong> went away early. As soon as he had disappeared,walking towards <strong>the</strong> beach, Linda stepped over <strong>the</strong>threshold and, with a haggard smile, sat down by <strong>the</strong> side<strong>of</strong> her fa<strong>the</strong>r.Ever since that Sunday, when <strong>the</strong> infatuated and desperateRamirez had waited for her on <strong>the</strong> wharf, she had nodoubts whatever. The jealous ravings <strong>of</strong> that man were norevelation. They had only fixed with precision, as with a naildriven into her heart, that sense <strong>of</strong> unreality and deceptionwhich, instead <strong>of</strong> bliss and security, she had found in herintercourse with her promised husband. She had passedon, pouring indignation and scorn upon Ramirez; but, thatSunday, she nearly died <strong>of</strong> wretchedness and shame, lyingon <strong>the</strong> carved and lettered stone <strong>of</strong> Teresa’s grave, subscribedfor by <strong>the</strong> engine-drivers and <strong>the</strong> fitters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> railway workshops,in sign <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir respect for <strong>the</strong> hero <strong>of</strong> Italian Unity.Old Viola had not been able to carry out his desire <strong>of</strong> buryinghis wife in <strong>the</strong> sea; and Linda wept upon <strong>the</strong> stone.The gratuitous outrage appalled her. If he wished tobreak her heart—well and good. Everything was permittedto Gian’ Battista. But why trample upon <strong>the</strong> pieces; why seekto humiliate her spirit? Aha! He could not break that. Shedried her tears. And Giselle! Giselle! The little one that, eversince she could toddle, had always clung to her skirt for protection.What duplicity! But she could not help it probably.When <strong>the</strong>re was a man in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>the</strong> poor fea<strong>the</strong>rheadedwretch could not help herself.

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