Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
sciously, like a flower its perfume in the coolness of the evening, the indefinable seduction of her person. Was it her fault that nobody ever had admired Linda? Even when they were little, going out with their mother to mass, she remembered that people took no notice of Linda, who was fearless, and chose instead to frighten her, who was timid, with their attention. It was her hair like gold, she supposed.
He broke out:
"Your hair like gold, and your eyes like violets, and your lips like the rose; your round arms, your white throat."
Imperturbable in the indolence of her pose, she blushed deeply all over to the roots of her hair. She was not conceited. She was no more self-conscious than a flower. But she was pleased. And perhaps even a flower loves to hear itself praised. He glanced down, and added, impetuously:
"Your little feet!"
Leaning back against the rough stone wall of the cottage, she seemed to bask languidly in the warmth of the rosy flush. Only her lowered eyes glanced at her little feet.
"And so you are going at last to marry our Linda. She is terrible. Ah! now she will understand better since you have told her you love her. She will not be so fierce."
"Chica!" said Nostromo, "I have not told her any- thing."
"Then make haste. Come to-morrow. Come and tell her, so that I may have some peace from her scolding, and—perhaps—who knows ..."
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