Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
"There is some talk of replacing it by a marble shaft commemorative of Separation, with angels of peace at the four corners, and a bronze Justice holding an even balance, all gilt, on the top. Cuvaliere Parrochetti was asked to make a design, which you can see framed under glass in the municipal sala. Names are to be engraved all round the base. Well, they could do no better than begin with the name of Nostromo. las done for Separation as much as anybody else, and," added Captain Mitchell, "has got less than many others by it when it comes to that." He dropped onto a stone scat under a tree, and tapped invitingly at the place by his side. "He carried to Harrios the letters from Sulaco which decided the general to evacuate Cayta for a time, and come to our help here by sea. The transports were still in harbor, fortunately. Sir, I did not even know that my capataz de cargadores was alive. I had no idea. It was Dr. Monygham who came upon him, by chance, in the custom-house, evacuated an hour or two before by the wretched Sotillo. I was never told; never given a hint, nothing—as if I were unworthy of confidence. Monygham arranged it all. He went to the railway-yards and got admission to the engineer-in-chief, who, for the sake of the Goulds as much as for anything else, consented to let an engine make a dash down the line, one hundred and eighty miles, with Nostromo aboard. It was the only way to get him away. In the construction camp at the rail-head he obtained a horse, arms, some clothing, and started alone on that marvellous ride—four hundred miles in six days, through a disturbed country, ending by the
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