Ностромо

           Hehadheardthisverysoundinhisimaginationonthatfar-offeveningwhenhiswifeandhimself,afteratortuousridethroughastripofforest,hadreinedintheirhorsesnearthestream,andhadgazedforthefirsttimeuponthejungle-grownsolitudeofthegorge.Theheadofapalmrosehereandthere.InahighravineroundthecorneroftheSanTomemountain(whichissquarelikeablockhouse)thethreadofaslenderwaterfallflashedbrightandglassythroughthedarkgreenoftheheavyfrondsoftree-ferns.DonPepe,inattendance,rodeup,and,stretchinghisarmupthegorge,haddeclaredwithmocksolemnity,“Beholdtheveryparadiseofsnakes,senora.”

           AndthentheyhadwheeledtheirhorsesandriddenbacktosleepthatnightatRincon.Thealcalde—anold,skinnyMoreno,asergeantofGuzmanBento’stime—hadclearedrespectfullyoutofhishousewithhisthreeprettydaughters,tomakeroomfortheforeignsenoraandtheirworshipstheCaballeros.AllheaskedCharlesGould(whomhetookforamysteriousandofficialperson)todoforhimwastoremindthesupremeGovernment—ElGobiernosupreme—ofapension(amountingtoaboutadollaramonth)towhichhebelievedhimselfentitled.Ithadbeenpromisedtohim,heaffirmed,straighteninghisbentbackmartially,“manyyearsago,formyvalourinthewarswiththewildIndioswhenayoungman,senor.”

           Thewaterfallexistednolonger.