appoint somebody trained to the work, who saved him
trouble, is not surprising. What is wonderful is the fact that the
Sulaco Cargadores accepted Ramirez for their chief, simply because such
was Nostromo's good pleasure. Of course, he is not a second Nostromo,
as he fondly imagined he would be; but still, the position was brilliant
enough. It emboldened him to make up to Giselle Viola, who, you know, is
the recognized beauty of the town. The old Garibaldino, however, took a
violent dislike to him. I don't know why. Perhaps because he was not
a model of perfection like his Gian' Battista, the incarnation of the
courage, the fidelity, the honour of 'the people.' Signor Viola does
not think much of Sulaco natives. Both of them, the old Spartan and that
white-faced Linda, with her red mouth and coal-black eyes, were looking
rather fiercely after the fair one. Ramirez was warned off. Father
Viola, I am told, threatened him with his gun once."

"But what of Giselle herself?" asked Mrs. Gould.

"She's a bit of a flirt, I believe," said the doctor. "I don't think
she cared much one way or another. Of course she likes men's attentions.
Ramirez was not the only one, let me tell you, Mrs. Gould. There was one
engineer, at least, on the railway staff who got warned off with a gun,
too. Old Viola does not allow any trifling with his honour. He has grown
uneasy and suspicious since his wife died. He was very pleased to remove
his youngest girl away from the town. But look what happens, Mrs. Gould.
Ramirez, the honest, lovelorn swain, is forbidden the island. Very well.
He respects the prohibition, but naturally turns his eyes frequently
towards the Great Isabel. It seems as though he had been in the habit of
gazing late at night upon the light. And during these sentimental vigils
he discovers that Nostromo, Captain Fidanza that is, returns very late
from his visits to the Violas. As late as midnight at times."

The doctor paused and stared meaningly at Mrs. Gould.

"Yes. But I don't understand," she began, looking puzzled.

"Now comes the strange part," went on Dr. Monygham. "Viola, who is king
on his island, will allow no visitor on it after dark. Even Captain
Fidanza has got to leave after sunset, when Linda has gone up to
tend the light. And Nostromo goes away obediently. But what happens
afterwards? What does he do in the gulf between half-past six and
midnight? He has been seen more than once at that late hour pulling
quiet