Page 215 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

stood militarily in a row at the top of the great flight of steps.
They looked like a gorgeous escort attending the Vicar-
General. I saw the great function from the windows of the
Porvenir. He is amazing, your uncle, the last of the Corbe-
lans. He glittered exceedingly in his vestments with a great
crimson velvet cross down his back. And all the time our
saviour Barrios sat in the Amarilla Club drinking punch at
an open window. Esprit fort—our Barrios. I expected every
moment your uncle to launch an excommunication there
and then at the black eye-patch in the window across the
Plaza. But not at all. Ultimately the troops marched off. Lat-
er Barrios came down with some of the officers, and stood
with his uniform all unbuttoned, discoursing at the edge
of the pavement. Suddenly your uncle appeared, no lon-
ger glittering, but all black, at the cathedral door with that
threatening aspect he has—you know, like a sort of aveng-
ing spirit. He gives one look, strides over straight at the
group of uniforms, and leads away the general by the el-
bow. He walked him for a quarter of an hour in the shade
of a wall. Never let go his elbow for a moment, talking all
the time with exaltation, and gesticulating with a long black
arm. It was a curious scene. The officers seemed struck with
astonishment. Remarkable man, your missionary uncle. He
hates an infidel much less than a heretic, and prefers a hea-
then many times to an infidel. He condescends graciously
to call me a heathen, sometimes, you know.’
Antonia listened with her hands over the balustrade,
opening and shutting the fan gently; and Decoud talked a
little nervously, as if afraid that she would leave him at the

1 Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard