Ностромо

           ’

           “Mydeargirl,thereisthatinAntoniawhichwouldmakemebelieveinthefeasibilityofanything.Onelookatherfaceisenoughtosetmybrainonfire.AndyetIloveherasanyothermanwould—withtheheart,andwiththatalone.SheismoretomethanhisChurchtoFatherCorbelan(theGrandVicardisappearedlastnightfromthetown;perhapsgonetojointhebandofHernandez).SheismoretomethanhispreciousminetothatsentimentalEnglishman.Iwon’tspeakofhiswife.Shemayhavebeensentimentalonce.TheSanTomeminestandsnowbetweenthosetwopeople.‘Yourfatherhimself,Antonia,’Irepeated;‘yourfather,doyouunderstand?hastoldmetogoon.’

           “Sheavertedherface,andinapainedvoice—

           “‘Hehas?’shecried.‘Then,indeed,Ifearhewillneverspeakagain.’

           “Shefreedherwristsfrommyclutchandbegantocryinherhandkerchief.Idisregardedhersorrow;Iwouldratherseehermiserablethannotseeheratall,neveranymore;forwhetherIescapedorstayedtodie,therewasforusnocomingtogether,nofuture.Andthatbeingso,Ihadnopitytowasteuponthepassingmomentsofhersorrow.IsentheroffintearstofetchDonaEmiliaandDonCarlos,too.Theirsentimentwasnecessarytotheverylifeofmyplan;thesentimentalismofthepeoplethatwillneverdoanythingforthesakeoftheirpassionatedesire,unlessitcomestothemclothedinthefairrobesofanidea.