Ностромо

           “Yes,”thedoctorrelatedinalowtonetoCaptainMitchell’svehementcuriosity,“wehavebeennabbedinoldViola’splace.Itseemsthatoneoftheirpickets,commandedbyanofficer,pushedasfarasthetowngate.Theyhadordersnottoenter,buttobringalongeverysoultheycouldfindontheplain.Wehadbeentalkingintherewiththedooropen,andnodoubttheysawtheglimmerofourlight.Theymusthavebeenmakingtheirapproachesforsometime.Theengineerlaidhimselfonabenchinarecessbythefire-place,andIwentupstairstohavealook.Ihadn’theardanysoundfromthereforalongtime.OldViola,assoonashesawmecomeup,liftedhisarmforsilence.Istoleinontiptoe.ByJove,hiswifewaslyingdownandhadgonetosleep.Thewomanhadactuallydroppedofftosleep!‘SenorDoctor,’Violawhisperstome,‘itlooksasifheroppressionwasgoingtogetbetter.’‘Yes,’Isaid,verymuchsurprised;‘yourwifeisawonderfulwoman,Giorgio.’Justthenashotwasfiredinthekitchen,whichmadeusjumpandcowerasifatathunder-clap.Itseemsthatthepartyofsoldiershadstolenquitecloseup,andoneofthemhadcreptuptothedoor.Helookedin,thoughttherewasnoonethere,and,holdinghisrifleready,enteredquietly.Thechieftoldmethathehadjustclosedhiseyesforamoment.Whenheopenedthem,hesawthemanalreadyinthemiddleoftheroompeeringintothedarkcorners.