Ностромо
Chapter 4
Thestaringheadsofmenblockedthedoorwayinaninstant—mozosfromthestable,gardeners,nondescripthelperslivingonthecrumbsofthemunificenthouse—andCharlesGouldbeheldalltheextentofhisdomesticestablishment,eventothegatekeeper.Thiswasahalf-paralyzedoldman,whoselongwhitelocksfelldowntohisshoulders:anheirloomtakenupbyCharlesGould’sfamilialpiety.HecouldrememberHenryGould,anEnglishmanandaCostaguaneroofthesecondgeneration,chiefoftheSulacoprovince;hehadbeenhispersonalmozoyearsandyearsagoinpeaceandwar;hadbeenallowedtoattendhismasterinprison;had,onthefatalmorning,followedthefiringsquad;and,peepingfrombehindoneofthecypressesgrowingalongthewalloftheFranciscanConvent,hadseen,withhiseyesstartingoutofhishead,DonEnriquethrowuphishandsandfallwithhisfaceinthedust.CharlesGouldnotedparticularlythebigpatriarchalheadofthatwitnessintherearoftheotherservants.Buthewassurprisedtoseeashrivelledoldhagortwo,ofwhoseexistencewithinthewallsofhishousehehadnotbeenaware.Theymusthavebeenthemothers,oreventhegrandmothersofsomeofhispeople.Therewereafewchildren,too,moreorlessnaked,cryingandclingingtothelegsoftheirelders.Hehadneverbeforenoticedanysignofachildinhispatio.EvenLeonarda,thecamerista,cameinafright,pushingthrough,withherspoiled,poutingfaceofafavouritemaid,leadingtheViolagirlsbythehand