Page 516 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

Custom House, before he managed to seize his arm from
behind, roughly, out of breath.
‘Stop! Are you mad?’
Already Nostromo was walking slowly, his head dropping,
as if checked in his pace by the weariness of irresolution.
‘What is that to you? Ah! I forgot you want me for some-
thing. Always. Siempre Nostromo.’
‘What do you mean by talking of strangling me?’ panted
the doctor.
‘What do I mean? I mean that the king of the devils him-
self has sent you out of this town of cowards and talkers to
meet me to-night of all the nights of my life.’
Under the starry sky the Albergo d’ltalia Una emerged,
black and low, breaking the dark level of the plain. Nostro-
mo stopped altogether.
‘The priests say he is a tempter, do they not?’ he added,
through his clenched teeth.
‘My good man, you drivel. The devil has nothing to do
with this. Neither has the town, which you may call by what
name you please. But Don Carlos Gould is neither a cow-
ard nor an empty talker. You will admit that?’ He waited.
‘Well?’
‘Could I see Don Carlos?’
‘Great heavens! No! Why? What for?’ exclaimed the doc-
tor in agitation. ‘I tell you it is madness. I will not let you go
into the town for anything.’
‘I must.’
‘You must not!’ hissed the doctor, fiercely, almost beside
himself with the fear of the man doing away with his use-

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