Quotation from: Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard

Written by: Joseph Conrad


Of that Decoud had not been aware. Of course, it was too dark to see,
and it was only when Nostromo put his hand upon its painter fastened to
a cleat in the stern that he experienced a full measure of relief. The
prospect of finding himself in the water and swimming, overwhelmed
by ignorance and darkness, probably in a circle, till he sank from
exhaustion, was revolting. The barren and cruel futility of such an end
intimidated his affectation of careless pessimism. In comparison to it,
the chance of being left floating in a boat, exposed to thirst, hunger,
discovery, imprisonment, execution, presented itself with an aspect of
amenity worth securing even at the cost of some self-contempt. He did
not accept Nostromo's proposal that he should get into the boat at
once. "Something sudden may overwhelm us, senor," the Capataz remarked
promising faithfully, at the same time, to let go the painter at the
moment when the necessity became manifest.

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