Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
"He'll see it, I am sure. He must put an end to all this by marrying Linda at once," pronounced the first lady of Sulaco with immense decision.
Through the garden gate emerged Basilio, grown fat and sleek, with an elderly hairless face, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his jet-black, coarse hair plastered down smoothly. Stooping carefully behind an ornamental clump of bushes, he put down with precaution a small child he had been carrying on his shoulders—his own and Leonarda's last born. The pouting, spoiled camerista and the head mozo of the Casa Gould had been married for some years now.
He remained squatting on his heels for some time, gazing fondly at his offspring, which returned his stare with imperturbable gravity; then, solemn and respectable, walked down the path.
"What is it, Basilio?" asked Mrs. Gould.
"A telephone came through from the office of the mine. The master remains to sleep at the mountain to-night."
Dr. Monygham had got up and stood looking away. A profound silence reigned for a time under the shade of the biggest trees in the lovely gardens of the Casa Gould.
"Very well, Basilio," said Mrs. Gould. She watched him walk away along the path, step aside behind a flowering bush, and reappear with the child seated on his shoulders. He passed through the gateway between the garden and the patio with measured steps, careful of his light burden.
The doctor, with his back to Mrs. Gould, contem-
580
