Ностромо
Chapter 6
IwouldneverhavedisposedoftheConcessionasaspeculatordisposesofavaluablerighttoacompany—forcashandshares,togrowricheventuallyifpossible,butatanyratetoputsomemoneyatonceinhispocket.No.Evenifithadbeenfeasible—whichIdoubt—Iwouldnothavedoneso.Poorfatherdidnotunderstand.HewasafraidIwouldhangontotheruinousthing,waitingforjustsomesuchchance,andwastemylifemiserably.Thatwasthetruesenseofhisprohibition,whichwehavedeliberatelysetaside.”
Theywerewalkingupanddownthecorredor.Herheadjustreachedtohisshoulder.Hisarm,extendeddownwards,wasaboutherwaist.Hisspursjingledslightly.
“Hehadnotseenmefortenyears.Hedidnotknowme.Hepartedfrommeformysake,andhewouldneverletmecomeback.HewasalwaystalkinginhislettersofleavingCostaguana,ofabandoningeverythingandmakinghisescape.Buthewastoovaluableaprey.Theywouldhavethrownhimintooneoftheirprisonsatthefirstsuspicion.”
Hisspurredfeetclinkedslowly.Hewasbendingoverhiswifeastheywalked.Thebigparrot,turningitsheadaskew,followedtheirpacingfigureswitharound,unblinkingeye.
“Hewasalonelyman.EversinceIwastenyearsoldheusedtotalktomeasifIhadbeengrownup.WhenIwasinEuropehewrotetomeeverymonth.Ten,twelvepageseverymonthofmylifefortenyears.
