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

strange reluctance within himself. ‘Pull easy,’ he repeated.*****From the moment he fired at the thief of his honour,Giorgio Viola had not stirred from the spot. He stood, hisold gun grounded, his hand grasping the barrel near themuzzle. After the lancha carrying off Nostromo for everfrom her had left the shore, Linda, coming up, stopped beforehim. He did not seem to be aware of her presence, butwhen, losing her forced calmness, she cried out—‘Do you know whom you have killed?’ he answered—‘Ramirez the vagabond.’White, and staring insanely at her father, Linda laughedin his face. After a time he joined her faintly in a deep-tonedand distant echo of her peals. Then she stopped, and the oldman spoke as if startled—‘He cried out in son Gian’ Battista’s voice.’The gun fell from his opened hand, but the arm remainedextended for a moment as if still supported. Linda seized itroughly.‘You are too old to understand. Come into the house.’He let her lead him. On the threshold he stumbled heavily,nearly coming to the ground together with his daughter.His excitement, his activity of the last few days, had beenlike the flare of a dying lamp. He caught at the back of hischair.‘In son Gian’ Battista’s voice,’ he repeated in a severe tone.‘I heard him—Ramirez—the miserable——‘Linda helped him into the chair, and, bending low, hissedinto his ear—