ly into the harbour. Ramirez is devoured by jealousy. He dared not
approach old Viola; but he plucked up courage to rail at Linda about it
on Sunday morning as she came on the mainland to hear mass and visit her
mother's grave. There was a scene on the wharf, which, as a matter of
fact, I witnessed. It was early morning. He must have been waiting for
her on purpose. I was there by the merest chance, having been called
to an urgent consultation by the doctor of the German gunboat in the
harbour. She poured wrath, scorn, and flame upon Ramirez, who seemed out
of his mind. It was a strange sight, Mrs. Gould: the long jetty, with
this raving Cargador in his crimson sash and the girl all in black, at
the end; the early Sunday morning quiet of the harbour in the shade of
the mountains; nothing but a canoe or two moving between the ships at
anchor, and the German gunboat's gig coming to take me off. Linda passed
me within a foot. I noticed her wild eyes. I called out to her. She
never heard me. She never saw me. But I looked at her face. It was awful
in its anger and wretchedness."

Mrs. Gould sat up, opening her eyes very wide.

"What do you mean, Dr. Monygham? Do you mean to say that you suspect the
younger sister?"

"Quien sabe! Who can tell?" said the doctor, shrugging his shoulders
like a born Costaguanero. "Ramirez came up to me on the wharf. He
reeled--he looked insane. He took his head into his hands. He had to
talk to someone--simply had to. Of course for all his mad state he
recognized me. People know me well here. I have lived too long amongst
them to be anything else but the evil-eyed doctor, who can cure all the
ills of the flesh, and bring bad luck by a glance. He came up to me. He
tried to be calm. He tried to make it out that he wanted merely to
warn me against Nostromo. It seems that Captain Fidanza at some secret
meeting or other had mentioned me as the worst despiser of all the
poor--of the people. It's very possible. He honours me with his undying
dislike. And a word from the great Fidanza may be quite enough to send
some fool's knife into my back. The Sanitary Commission I preside
over is not in favour with the populace. 'Beware of him, senor doctor.
Destroy him, senor doctor,' Ramirez hissed right into my face. And then
he broke out. 'That man,' he spluttered, 'has cast a spell upon both
these girls.' As to himself, he had said too much. He must run away
now--run away and hide somewhere. He moaned tende