Page:Nostromo (1904).djvu/354

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Nostromo : A Tale of the Seaboard

stance for Sulaco that the relations of those imported workmen with the people of the country had been uniformly bad from the first.

Dr. Monygham, going to the door of Viola's kitchen, observed this retreat marking the end of the foreign interference, this withdrawal of the army of material progress from the field of Costaguana revolutions.

Algarroba torches, carried on the outskirts of the moving body, sent their penetrating aroma into his nostrils. Their light, sweeping along the front of the house, made the letters of the inscription, "Albergo d'ltalia Una," leap out black from end to end of the long wall. His eyes blinked in the clear blaze. Several young men, mostly fair and tall, shepherding this mob of dark bronzed heads surmounted by the glint of slanting rifle-barrels, nodded to him familiarly as they went by. The doctor was a well-known character. Some of them wondered what he was doing there. Then, on the flank of their workmen, they tramped on, following the line of rails.

"Withdrawing your people from the harbor?" said the doctor, addressing himself to the chief-engineer of the railway, who had accompanied Charles Gould so far on his way to the town, walking by the side of the horse, with his hand on the saddle-bow. They had stopped just outside the open door to let the workmen cross the road.

"As quick as I can. We are not a political faction," answered the engineer, meaningly. "And we are not going to give our new rulers a handle against the rail-way. You approve me, Gould?"

"Absolutely," said Charles Gould's impassive voice,

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