Page 576 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

the Violas. As late as midnight at times.’
The doctor paused and stared meaningly at Mrs. Gould.
‘Yes. But I don’t understand,’ she began, looking puzzled.
‘Now comes the strange part,’ went on Dr. Monygham.
‘Viola, who is king on his island, will allow no visitor on it af-
ter dark. Even Captain Fidanza has got to leave after sunset,
when Linda has gone up to tend the light. And Nostromo
goes away obediently. But what happens afterwards? What
does he do in the gulf between half-past six and midnight?
He has been seen more than once at that late hour pulling
quietly into the harbour. Ramirez is devoured by jealousy.
He dared not approach old Viola; but he plucked up cour-
age to rail at Linda about it on Sunday morning as she came
on the mainland to hear mass and visit her mother’s grave.
There was a scene on the wharf, which, as a matter of fact, I
witnessed. It was early morning. He must have been waiting
for her on purpose. I was there by the merest chance, having
been called to an urgent consultation by the doctor of the
German gunboat in the harbour. She poured wrath, scorn,
and flame upon Ramirez, who seemed out of his mind. It
was a strange sight, Mrs. Gould: the long jetty, with this
raving Cargador in his crimson sash and the girl all in black,
at the end; the early Sunday morning quiet of the harbour
in the shade of the mountains; nothing but a canoe or two
moving between the ships at anchor, and the German gun-
boat’s gig coming to take me off. Linda passed me within a
foot. I noticed her wild eyes. I called out to her. She never
heard me. She never saw me. But I looked at her face. It was
awful in its anger and wretchedness.’