Page 394 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

creased. The guerrillero brother of the general—the Pedrito
of popular speech—had a reputation of his own. He wasn’t
safe to deal with. Sotillo had vaguely planned seizing not
only the treasure but the town itself, and then negotiating
at leisure. But in the face of facts learned from the chief
engineer (who had frankly disclosed to him the whole situ-
ation) his audacity, never of a very dashing kind, had been
replaced by a most cautious hesitation.
‘An army—an army crossed the mountains under Pedrito
already,’ he had repeated, unable to hide his consternation.
‘If it had not been that I am given the news by a man of your
position I would never have believed it. Astonishing!’
‘An armed force,’ corrected the engineer, suavely. His
aim was attained. It was to keep Sulaco clear of any armed
occupation for a few hours longer, to let those whom fear
impelled leave the town. In the general dismay there were
families hopeful enough to fly upon the road towards Los
Hatos, which was left open by the withdrawal of the armed
rabble under Senores Fuentes and Gamacho, to Rincon,
with their enthusiastic welcome for Pedro Montero. It was
a hasty and risky exodus, and it was said that Hernandez,
occupying with his band the woods about Los Hatos, was
receiving the fugitives. That a good many people he knew
were contemplating such a flight had been well known to
the chief engineer.
Father Corbelan’s efforts in the cause of that most pious
robber had not been altogether fruitless. The political chief
of Sulaco had yielded at the last moment to the urgent en-
treaties of the priest, had signed a provisional nomination