Page 284 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

‘Teresa wants to see you, Nostromo,’ she said. The Capa-
taz did not move. Decoud, with his back to the table, began
to button up his coat.
‘The silver, Mrs. Gould, the silver,’ he murmured in Eng-
lish. ‘Don’t forget that the Esmeralda garrison have got a
steamer. They may appear at any moment at the harbour
entrance.’
‘The doctor says there is no hope,’ Mrs. Gould spoke rap-
idly, also in English. ‘I shall take you down to the wharf in
my carriage and then come back to fetch away the girls.’ She
changed swiftly into Spanish to address Nostromo. ‘Why
are you wasting time? Old Giorgio’s wife wishes to see you.’
‘I am going to her, senora,’ muttered the Capataz. Dr.
Monygham now showed himself, bringing back the chil-
dren. To Mrs. Gould’s inquiring glance he only shook his
head and went outside at once, followed by Nostromo.
The horse of the torch-bearer, motionless, hung his head
low, and the rider had dropped the reins to light a ciga-
rette. The glare of the torch played on the front of the house
crossed by the big black letters of its inscription in which
only the word ITALIA was lighted fully. The patch of wa-
vering glare reached as far as Mrs. Gould’s carriage waiting
on the road, with the yellow-faced, portly Ignacio appar-
ently dozing on the box. By his side Basilio, dark and skinny,
held a Winchester carbine in front of him, with both hands,
and peered fearfully into the darkness. Nostromo touched
lightly the doctor’s shoulder.
‘Is she really dying, senor doctor?’
‘Yes,’ said the doctor, with a strange twitch of his scarred