Page 444 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

Don Pepe, in a mild and humorous voice, informed Fa-
ther Roman that Pedrito Montero, by the hand of Senor
Fuentes, had asked him on what terms he would surrender
the mine in proper working order to a legally constituted
commission of patriotic citizens, escorted by a small mili-
tary force. The priest cast his eyes up to heaven. However,
Don Pepe continued, the mozo who brought the letter said
that Don Carlos Gould was alive, and so far unmolested.
Father Roman expressed in a few words his thankfulness
at hearing of the Senor Administrador’s safety.
The hour of oration had gone by in the silvery ringing
of a bell in the little belfry. The belt of forest closing the en-
trance of the valley stood like a screen between the low sun
and the street of the village. At the other end of the rocky
gorge, between the walls of basalt and granite, a forest-clad
mountain, hiding all the range from the San Tome dwellers,
rose steeply, lighted up and leafy to the very top. Three small
rosy clouds hung motionless overhead in the great depth of
blue. Knots of people sat in the street between the wattled
huts. Before the casa of the alcalde, the foremen of the night-
shift, already assembled to lead their men, squatted on the
ground in a circle of leather skull-caps, and, bowing their
bronze backs, were passing round the gourd of mate. The
mozo from the town, having fastened his horse to a wooden
post before the door, was telling them the news of Sulaco
as the blackened gourd of the decoction passed from hand
to hand. The grave alcalde himself, in a white waistcloth
and a flowered chintz gown with sleeves, open wide upon
his naked stout person with an effect of a gaudy bathing