Page 575 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

not a second Nostromo, as he fondly imagined he would be;
but still, the position was brilliant enough. It emboldened
him to make up to Giselle Viola, who, you know, is the rec-
ognized beauty of the town. The old Garibaldino, however,
took a violent dislike to him. I don’t know why. Perhaps
because he was not a model of perfection like his Gian’ Bat-
tista, the incarnation of the courage, the fidelity, the honour
of ‘the people.’ Signor Viola does not think much of Sulaco
natives. Both of them, the old Spartan and that white-faced
Linda, with her red mouth and coal-black eyes, were look-
ing rather fiercely after the fair one. Ramirez was warned
off. Father Viola, I am told, threatened him with his gun
once.’
‘But what of Giselle herself?’ asked Mrs. Gould.
‘She’s a bit of a flirt, I believe,’ said the doctor. ‘I don’t
think she cared much one way or another. Of course she
likes men’s attentions. Ramirez was not the only one, let me
tell you, Mrs. Gould. There was one engineer, at least, on
the railway staff who got warned off with a gun, too. Old
Viola does not allow any trifling with his honour. He has
grown uneasy and suspicious since his wife died. He was
very pleased to remove his youngest girl away from the
town. But look what happens, Mrs. Gould. Ramirez, the
honest, lovelorn swain, is forbidden the island. Very well.
He respects the prohibition, but naturally turns his eyes fre-
quently towards the Great Isabel. It seems as though he had
been in the habit of gazing late at night upon the light. And
during these sentimental vigils he discovers that Nostromo,
Captain Fidanza that is, returns very late from his visits to

Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard