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

stairs. At the moment of opening the door at the bottomshe heard the sound of the first shot ever fired on the GreatIsabel.She felt a shock, as though the bullet had struck herbreast. She ran on without pausing. The cottage was dark.She cried at the door, ‘Giselle! Giselle!’ then dashed roundthe corner and screamed her sister’s name at the open window,without getting an answer; but as she was rushing,distracted, round the house, Giselle came out of the door,and darted past her, running silently, her hair loose, and hereyes staring straight ahead. She seemed to skim along thegrass as if on tiptoe, and vanished.Linda walked on slowly, with her arms stretched out beforeher. All was still on the island; she did not know whereshe was going. The tree under which Martin Decoud spenthis last days, beholding life like a succession of senselessimages, threw a large blotch of black shade upon the grass.Suddenly she saw her father, standing quietly all alone inthe moonlight.The Garibaldino—big, erect, with his snow-white hairand beard—had a monumental repose in his immobility,leaning upon a rifle. She put her hand upon his arm lightly.He never stirred.‘What have you done?’ she asked, in her ordinary voice.‘I have shot Ramirez—infame!’ he answered, with hiseyes directed to where the shade was blackest. ‘Like a thiefhe came, and like a thief he fell. The child had to be protected.’He did not offer to move an inch, to advance a single step.