Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 5. CHAPTER FIVE (continued)

Pedro Montero, the brother of the general, dismounted into a
shouting and perspiring throng of enthusiasts whom the ragged
Nationals were pushing back fiercely. Ascending a few steps he
surveyed the large crowd gaping at him. and the bullet-speckled
walls of the houses opposite lightly veiled by a sunny haze of
dust. The word "PORVENIR" in immense black capitals, alternating
with broken windows, stared at him across the vast space; and he
thought with delight of the hour of vengeance, because he was
very sure of laying his hands upon Decoud. On his left hand,
Gamacho, big and hot, wiping his hairy wet face, uncovered a set
of yellow fangs in a grin of stupid hilarity. On his right,
Senor Fuentes, small and lean, looked on with compressed lips.
The crowd stared literally open-mouthed, lost in eager stillness,
as though they had expected the great guerrillero, the famous
Pedrito, to begin scattering at once some sort of visible
largesse. What he began was a speech. He began it with the
shouted word "Citizens!" which reached even those in the middle
of the Plaza. Afterwards the greater part of the citizens
remained fascinated by the orator's action alone, his tip-toeing,
the arms flung above his head with the fists clenched, a hand
laid flat upon the heart, the silver gleam of rolling eyes, the
sweeping, pointing, embracing gestures, a hand laid familiarly on
Gamacho's shoulder; a hand waved formally towards the little
black-coated person of Senor Fuentes, advocate and politician and
a true friend of the people. The vivas of those nearest to the
orator bursting out suddenly propagated themselves irregularly to
the confines of the crowd, like flames running over dry grass,
and expired in the opening of the streets. In the intervals, over
the swarming Plaza brooded a heavy silence, in which the mouth of
the orator went on opening and shutting, and detached
phrases--"The happiness of the people," "Sons of the country,"
"The entire world, el mundo entiero"--reached even the packed
steps of the cathedral with a feeble clear ring, thin as the
buzzing of a mosquito. But the orator struck his breast; he
seemed to prance between his two supporters. It was the supreme
effort of his peroration. Then the two smaller figures
disappeared from the public gaze and the enormous Gamacho, left
alone, advanced, raising his hat high above his head. Then he
covered himself proudly and yelled out, "Ciudadanos!" A dull roar
greeted Senor Gamacho, ex-pedlar of the Campo, Commandante of the
National Guards.