Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART SECOND: THE ISABELS 8. CHAPTER EIGHT (continued)

"The darkness is our friend," the Capataz murmured into his ear.
"I am going to lower the sail, and trust our escape to this black
gulf. No eyes could make us out lying silent with a naked mast. I
will do it now, before this steamer closes still more upon us.
The faint creak of a block would betray us and the San Tome
treasure into the hands of those thieves."

He moved about as warily as a cat. Decoud heard no sound; and it
was only by the disappearance of the square blotch of darkness
that he knew the yard had come down, lowered as carefully as if
it had been made of glass. Next moment he heard Nostromo's quiet
breathing by his side.

"You had better not move at all from where you are, Don Martin,"
advised the Capataz, earnestly. "You might stumble or displace
something which would make a noise. The sweeps and the punting
poles are lying about. Move not for your life. Por Dios, Don
Martin," he went on in a keen but friendly whisper, "I am so
desperate that if I didn't know your worship to be a man of
courage, capable of standing stock still whatever happens, I
would drive my knife into your heart."

A deathlike stillness surrounded the lighter. It was difficult to
believe that there was near a steamer full of men with many pairs
of eyes peering from her bridge for some hint of land in the
night. Her steam had ceased blowing off, and she remained stopped
too far off apparently for any other sound to reach the lighter.

"Perhaps you would, Capataz," Decoud began in a whisper.
"However, you need not trouble. There are other things than the
fear of your knife to keep my heart steady. It shall not betray
you. Only, have you forgotten--"